Can I Get a Witness?
by ScorplinginTraining
Summary: Our favorite boy genius stumbled across some valuable evidence against some very dangerous people. The authorities failed to protect him. What he really needs is a genius dad to step up and save him.
1. Midnight Flight

**CAN I GET A WITNESS?**

**CHAPTER ONE: MIDNIGHT FLIGHT**

**AN: Welp, here I am again. I thought I might be done. Silly me.**

**oxoxoxoxoxo**

"Do you think we've made it out of the city yet?"

The whispered question startled him out of his thoughts as did the sound of her fingers scrabbling across the blanket searching for his hand through the suffocating darkness. He curled his own fingers around her slim wrist, automatically finding her pulse and reassuring himself by calculating the number of steady beats per minute.

"You should be sleeping," He whispered back.

The thin mattress creaked in protest as she turned toward him. "I can't. At least not until I know for sure we've made it out of LA safely."

He sighed. He knew she wouldn't rest until he gave her an answer. Even someone with a seriously underdeveloped EQ could understand why she would be anxious.

At first, he considered lying. Just a little white lie to give her some peace, but being untruthful hadn't served him well in the past. In fact, in a round-about way, this whole awful situation began with a stupid lie. So, he chose the truth, whether or not it was the most human thing to do.

"Not yet. Judging by the traffic noise and the number of regular stops we're still making. Try not to worry. Happy and I mapped a circuitous route to make sure we aren't followed. And she's taking her time because she doesn't want to draw unnecessary attention to the truck by speeding or careening around corners like she normally does. Now, please lay back down. You've only been out of the hospital for a few hours."

She hesitated for a moment as if to argue, then she withdrew her hand. He could hear the covers rustling as she did as he'd suggested.

"Is there any chance…? Would you lie down with me?" Paige asked weakly once she was settled.

Walter nodded even though she couldn't see him. "Oh… Of-of course. If it would help you to relax."

Feeling around for the edge of the blanket, he lifted it and scooted underneath next to her. He took a second to shut his eyes and breathe in her familiar scent. Mixed as it was with the antiseptic odor of the hospital that lingered on her skin, it still brought him a measure of comfort. She snuggled against him, curling close around him, sharing her warmth. It felt so right. He'd been so homesick for her a clot of useless tears lodged in his throat. Walter clutched her against his heart, once foolishly believed to be only an efficient circulatory muscle, holding tightly to what he'd nearly lost for good.

It's strange how grief and fear have the ability to help with focus. The extraneous nonsense falls away and one is able to see clearly what is truly important. When Paige had been shot, the entire team immediately dropped all of their petty grievances and worked together as if nothing wrong had ever happened between them.

Sure, they'd all eventually said their 'sorry's, but it was background noise compared with the urgency of helping Paige and Ralph stay safe. There'd simply been no room for blame or anger anymore.

The threat started as a result of one of Centipede's cases. A shady one they shouldn't have taken on without Walter or Homeland backing them up. Ralph got involved because, without Walter's hacking skills, they'd had to rely on the boy's superior abilities and intellect.

How ever it went down didn't really matter. What ultimately mattered was the information Ralph had stumbled upon in the process. Even after the hard-drive was stolen and destroyed by the criminal enterprise, the evidence was retained in the teen's perfect memory. His testimony became absolutely essential to the state's case against the ring leaders.

Thus putting him in imminent peril.

The US Marshals snatched them up and put mother and son in a 'safe' house. It turned out to be a not-so-safe-house when they were ambushed not thirty-six hours later.

Paige had been injured acting as a human shield for Ralph, but she'd survived. The officer assigned to guard duty wasn't so lucky, but his demise had bought the little family the extra seconds they'd needed to escape. They'd barely gotten away with their lives when they'd burst from a side door. She'd cleverly shoved her son into the killer's running car, ensuring they wouldn't be followed, and sped to the nearest hospital. She'd been shot twice, but adrenaline, sheer will and her protective instincts gave her the strength to find help before she'd collapsed from blood loss.

Walter had come within a hair's breadth of a devastating loss of his own that terrible day. The weight of the guilt was onerous. If only he'd been there. If only he'd never taken the most important relationships of his life for granted. If only he hadn't lied… None of it would've happened.

If Walter's sense of responsibility was heavy, Ralph's was crushing. His mother had almost died protecting him and the police officer did die. Right in front of him. The boy had seen everything. Living with those facts became unbearable at times. So Toby sat at Paige's bedside spending countless hours quietly counseling the young genius through it all. Ralph still had some issues, but Walter thought perhaps he'd turned a corner. He and Toby agreed, removing him from the city for a while would be the most helpful thing they could do.

As usual, Walter hadn't been able to make himself sit still watching a pale, listless Paige fighting to recover. He simply wasn't built that way. So while she was in the hospital, he busied himself plotting to get her and Ralph out of harm's way and making all of the arrangements instead. The next attempt to get them away from those seeking to eliminate them would _not_ include the US Marshals. That department obviously had a serious leak. They couldn't be trusted to keep Walter's newly reunited family safe.

Oh, they'd pretended to cooperate, but in reality they Scorpion-ed the hell out of the entire situation. Cabe risked his badge by feeding the Feds false information. He'd sent the Marshals in their unmarked vehicles to escort an empty van to another of their _un_safe houses, while Happy drove the huddled trio out of the city concealed in the back a U-Haul full of furniture.

As the truck trundled in a vaguely northeastern direction, Walter shuddered as he calculated the odds of being discovered. The plan was solid, but he wouldn't feel totally confident until they arrived at their destination in one piece.

"I can't believe Ralph's asleep." There was a smile in the tired mom's tone.

As if on cue, the boy stirred and snorted somewhere on the other side of Walter.

"He's always had an uncanny ability to sleep in the oddest of circumstances. And you need to get used to calling him 'Julian'. I know it's not easy, but it's for his safety."

"I know. I'll try. Why did Happy pick 'Julian' for his new ID anyway? He doesn't look like a 'Julian'. And just so you know, Ralph aka 'Julian' hasn't slept well at all these past months. Not since… Well, having you back around has made him feel secure again in spite of the circumstances." Paige shifted and nuzzled her face against Walter's neck. Her sleepy voice contained a hint of sadness as she'd murmured that admission in his ear, "I wanted you to know that. You being back in his life has made all the difference. I'm grateful for everything you're doing for him. And-and for me."

Ralph's total confidence in him was both blessing and curse at times. Walter absolutely could _not_ fail them like he very much feared he might.

"How could I do anything else? What good is my intelligence if I don't use it to help the ones I love? I would never forgive myself if-if anything happened to either of you and I hadn't done everything in my power to prevent it." He wasn't certain he would survive it. He couldn't bring himself to say those words aloud, but he could admit it to himself. Even losing the two of them for the short time after the break-up had been difficult enough to hinder his cognitive abilities and rob him of both appetite and sleep. If he lost either of them permanently… Well, it was unproductive to dwell on it.

Walter kissed her forehead softly. To lighten the mood, he changed the subject. "What have you got against 'Julian'? It's not so bad. At least Happy didn't saddle him with Josiah. I don't know what a Josiah is supposed to look like, but I'm pretty sure I don't resemble one, whatever it is."

She muffled a little laugh against his shoulder. "I think I'll start calling you Joe. You don't look much like a Joe either, but it's a little bit better fit for you than Josiah."

"I believe I can live with that."

They both fell quiet. To Walter's relief, it wasn't long before Paige's breathing grew calm, deep and even. He'd distracted her from her worries long enough for her to fall asleep. It was the least he could do.

He lay there, still as a statue, afraid to disturb her as he listened for a sign they'd made it out of Los Angeles undetected and alive.

He must've fallen asleep eventually, because the next thing he heard was a loud, metallic clatter as Happy opened the retractable door. Her rudely bright flashlight beam flooded the trailer and pierced his eyes as Walter squinted to focus.

"Up and at 'em, slackers," Happy whisper yelled, "We made it to the first rendezvous point."

Paige groaned and shielded her eyes as she and Walter wriggled out of each other's embrace and struggled to sit up.

In contrast, Ralph nearly bounded up and asked agitatedly, "So, no issues then? No one tailing us, I guess?" When Happy flashed him the okay sign, he scrambled toward the open door and down the ramp, his eyes darting back and forth, taking in as much of the surroundings as he could see with only moon and starlight to illuminate them. "Will Cabe, I mean, um, 'Grandpa', be here soon?" It was clear he was also counting on the older man to protect him and his mother from danger. Walter was the brain and Cabe was the brawn and Ralph placed all his faith in both of them.

Happy offered him a crooked smile. "He won't meet you until the final leg of the trip, but last time I checked, Toby and Allie were about twenty minutes out. Give or take."

Walter emerged from the stuffy interior of the U-Haul and inhaled a deep lungful of fresh air. It appeared they'd made it to the abandoned gas station. The one in the desert they'd chosen as the initial meeting point.

Paige stepped onto the truck's exit ramp and wobbled slightly. Walter grabbed her elbow to help her regain her balance. "Careful," he ordered, concern for her making his tone more curt than intended. "We can't afford for you to reinjure yourself."

She reeled again briefly and pressed the heel of her hand to her temple. "I'm okay. I think I just stood up too fast. That's all."

"You lost a lot of blood. Toby said you can expect to be dizzy. What you can't expect is to be at full capacity yet. You need to remember to take it slowly and ask for help."

Paige gave him a mocking two-fingered salute.

Walter chose to ignore the sarcastic gesture. He jumped to the ground, turned and reached up for her. Careful to avoid her injuries, he grasped her around the waist and gently helped her down beside him.

"As soon as Toby gets here, we'll need to change your dressings." He tapped his watch to illuminate the face. "Oh, and it's time for your antibiotic. Are you in any pain? Do you need to take something?"

"I'm fine for now." Paige replied patiently as Walter guided her to sit on the truck's rear bumper.

When he stalked off purposefully to get her medicine, Happy looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "Is his fussing making you crazy yet?" She asked.

Paige's lips twitched into a wry smile. "I'm trying to remind myself _why_ he's fussing instead of focusing on the fussing itself."

"I'm afraid I'd hafta kick the crap outta him. You're a much better woman than me. And if you tell anyone I said any of that, I'll call you a dirty liar."

As Walter was returning with Paige's medication and a bottle of water in hand, the group saw two pinpricks of headlights up a hill in the distance. There was a tense few moments when the older genius hustled Ralph and Paige inside the derelict building to hide until the approaching vehicle could be identified.

"It's them," Happy hissed through a boarded-up window after she'd verified the coast was clear. "You guys come on out."

oxoxoxoxoxo

"That restroom was disgusting."

"We're fleeing dangerous criminals who are influential enough to have someone at the US Marshals' office on their payroll and _that's_ what bothers you?" Walter smirked at the boy who was his son in every way but biologically. The interior of the van was dim, but they could just make out each other's facial features.

Ralph gave him a caustic look in return. "Don't be absurd. I've run the odds. I'm trusting we have a better than average chance your plans to get us to safety will succeed. We weren't working with geniuses before. When we work together, Scorpion always wins." The kid shrugged as if the matter was settled. However, Walter knew Ralph was anxiously trying to convince himself. "I'm just stating a fact. That restroom _was_ disgusting."

"Agreed. But we didn't have much of a choice. We couldn't run the risk of meeting the others somewhere that's still open for business. We could've been recognized or caught on camera. Don't forget the prosecution's office and the Marshals are looking for us now as well."

"I know," Ralph's gaze flitted across the carpeted floor to his sleeping mother. "Do you think the environment was clean enough to… you know, tend to Mom's wounds, though?"

Ah, that explained the comment about the lack of cleanliness. Ralph and Walter had to observe while Toby changed Paige's dressings. It would be their responsibility to see to her medical needs from that point forward. Every time she'd given the slightest indication of pain, the boy had shown signs of distress. Walter couldn't blame him. It wasn't easy for him to watch either.

He reached over and patted Ralph's shoulder bracingly. "I know it looked bad, but Toby assures me she's healing nicely and the surroundings don't need to be sterile as long as the gauze and saline are. It's just going to take some time for her to get completely better. Okay? I think our biggest challenge is going to be keeping her from trying to do too much once we're settled."

Ralph lapsed into distracted silence for quite a while until Walter began to wonder if he'd nodded off again.

"I'm going to miss everyone." The youngster whispered forlornly after a while. "When do we meet up with 'Grandpa', anyway?"

"Oh, we, uh, decided we needed an additional diversion. I haven't had a chance to tell you this part of the plan, have I? After he lied to the authorities, we figured Cabe is going to be watched closely even though he had a handy excuse waiting when they questioned him. He will join us as soon as he can 'shake his tail'. His words, not mine. So we figure he'll be able to meet with us later today at the next rendezvous spot. For this part of our elaborate shell game, I sent Sly, Toby and Allie under false names on different bus routes to Las Vegas. Sly rented this van with a fake ID and credit card. Then he drove…" At Ralph's shocked look, Walter responded with, "I _know_. He amazes me sometimes. There really is no limit to what he would do for you and your mom. I hope you realize that. Anyway, he drove to a nearby casino and left it in the lot. Toby and Allie were waiting for him. They changed the license plates to Utah ones Happy found in a junk yard and put magnetic signs for a fake catering company out of Provo on the sides. Sly grabbed a cab to the bus station and is taking a long, winding journey back to LA under his fake name. Happy gave Toby a remote jammer for the cameras in the parking garage so none of our crew would be seen with the vehicle after Sylvester parked it initially." The long explanation seemed to do the trick and calmed Ralph's mind for that moment as he sat there considering the convoluted plan instead of dwelling on his mother's injuries or being separated from their extended family for an undetermined amount of time.

There had been quite a few tears when Toby and Happy hopped into the cab of the U-Haul and headed back to LA together. None of them knew for sure when they'd see each other again. Even though time was precious, Walter couldn't seem to stop thanking the couple. Their assistance had been vital.

However, the fleeing fugitives still had many miles to go. So with assurances they would contact the rest of the team when it was safe, Paige, Ralph and Walter climbed into the back of the van and let Allie shut the doors, blocking what might be the last view they'd have of their friends for a long while before they drove away in opposite directions.


	2. Farm Out

**CAN I GET A WITNESS?**

**CHAPTER TWO: FARM OUT**

**AN: Hey, all! Thanks for the encouragement and reviews. I wanted to give a quick disclaimer. This isn't going to be an exciting, action-packed case story. The case will be more background than anything. Nor will there be any random explosions. (Sorry, Pamz;-) And they've already resolved things with the team, so it's not technically another 'fix-it' story either. I think I'm finally ready to move past the horrible finale and explore 'how does Waige move forward and heal from here?' instead. Stage 5 of the grieving process? Maybe. I sincerely hope no one's disappointed. If you're still with me, read on...**

**OXOXOXOXOXO**

"How the hell should I know?" Cabe gave his 'son' a disgusted look. "I grew up in the city. Cows are a complete mystery to me. You're the one who grew up on a farm. You tell me."

Walter clenched his teeth, biting back an irritable response. "I grew up on a _dairy_ farm. These are _beef _cattle. I have no idea what I'm doing here either. It's not like I can Google it. We currently don't have internet. Or had you forgotten? Isn't the owner of this place an old friend of yours from the Marines? Didn't he leave any instructions?"

"Oh, excuse me. Let me consult the owner's manual… Of course he didn't 'leave instructions'. My buddy figured a genius with a farming background would know what to do." Cabe continued to grumble as he lifted a foot to examine the sole of one of his second best pair of wingtips. It was caked with pie. Cow pie.

For the umpteenth time since they arrived, Walter wondered if this whole endeavor was going to work. Not only did they have no idea what they were doing, none of them had appropriate clothing for this sort of thing. Although his own wardrobe was slightly better than the requisite federal agent gear Cabe was currently sporting. It was no use. They couldn't be more obviously ignorant or inept if they wore flashing neon signs around their necks.

Then he caught sight of Ralph's ear-to-ear grin. He supposed the boy's temporary amusement might be worth something. At least when he was laughing at their expense, he wasn't experiencing anxiety over his mother's recovery or the danger he was in. He'd taken to having bad dreams almost nightly since their arrival.

"You could always use an ancient method. One they invented long before computers existed," the young genius suggested with a wholly superior tone, "You might've heard of it. It's called a _liiiibrary_." He drawled the last word as if explaining to someone particularly thick-headed. "And while we're in town, we could pick up some overalls and cowboy boots for Farmer Gramps over there." He giggled to himself and nearly toppled off the top rail of the corral where he was perched.

Cabe aimed a disgusted look at Ralph. "You'll think it's real funny when you fall backwards into a pile of crap. C'mon,… '_Julian'_. What'd you say we go into town and do some recon. Allie, I mean 'Shelly', wants to buy more groceries anyway."

"I'm not sure it's a great idea for, um, 'Julian' to go with you…" Walter started.

Cabe interrupted before he could finish speaking, "No one knows to look for us in rural Idaho, son."

"There are still cameras around town. There's one at the bank and they likely have them at the grocery store as well. We can't risk…"

"Seriously, Dad?" Ralph chimed in. "I've been cooped up out here for nearly three weeks. I'm going to start clucking and laying eggs soon. I'll wear a baseball hat and I'll borrow some of Grandpa's sunglasses. He's got at least one spare pair in the truck and in every room of the farmhouse you know. Then no one would recognize me even if they did think to look for us here. Plus, we're in a serious tech black hole, don't forget. The security cameras, if they've even got 'em, probably still use those old VHS tapes or something."

"Look, the kid deserves a break. He's been fetching and carrying inside the house for his mom and 'Grandma' for days, not to mention trying to help us figure out what the hell we're doing with these dumb cows. And I could use his help if we're really going to have to do research in an actual library too." The kid under discussion mouthed a quick 'Thank you' at Cabe for taking his side.

Walter sighed. He knew Ralph was going stir crazy. Walter sure was. And logically he also knew it was unlikely the boy would be spotted, but he simply didn't feel comfortable with Ralph out of his sight anymore. Perhaps he was being selfish.

Walter sighed and nodded once thus giving grudging permission. "Alright."

The teen didn't have to be told twice. He gave an enthusiastic fist pump and hopped off of the fence to make a dash for the house to grab a hat and tell Allie. "Take one of the disposable phones!" Walter called after him.

Cabe slapped a hand to Walter's shoulder as they strolled toward the ancient work truck in the driveway. "It's okay, son. I've got him. I won't let anything happen to him."

"Thanks. I know. It'll give Al…, uh, 'Mom' a break too. I can go inside and look after P-p… 'Jessica' for a while," Walter paused and made a disgusted noise, "I'm never going to get this name thing straight, am I?"

Cabe gave him a pointed look over the rim of his aviator shades. "You will. We all will. Because we know it's important."

Ralph shot from the screen door like a bullet from a gun and hustled toward the truck before Walter could talk Cabe out of the short reprieve. He wrenched one rusty door open preparing to climb inside.

Walter gave him a firm 'dad' look. The boy rolled his eyes, snatched the cap from his back pocket and crammed it haphazardly on his head squashing his hair over his ears. Then he reached into the glove compartment and took out one of Cabe's extra pairs of sunglasses and slid them into place. "Happy now?" He asked.

When Walter continued eyeing him, Ralph smirked and pulled the disposable phone half way out of his front pocket to show him.

"Now I'm happy. Well, not entirely. Promise you'll stay where your 'Grandpa' can see you at all times? I'm serious."

Ralph's expression turned solemn and he nodded. "I promise."

Allie, who'd followed Ralph out of the house at a much more sedate pace, gave Walter a quick one-armed hug. "We'll take good care of him, 'Joe'. And we'll remember to call him 'Julian' even though he hates it." She got in beside Ralph and buckled up.

Cabe ruffled the kid's hair. "Or we could just call him 'Cutie' or 'Honey' or 'Punkin' like all grandparents do. Would you prefer that?"

At Ralph's horrified look, Cabe chuckled and said, "'Julian' it is."

The old truck wheezed to life and backed slowly down the driveway. Walter couldn't help it. He watched them roll away in the direction of town until he could no longer hear the crunch of the tires and the truck was obscured by a dense cloud of dust from the gravel road. And yet he still faced the direction they'd gone, willing them to come back, his heart hammering in his chest.

He had to admit, sometimes it'd been easier when he was a robot and he could effectively suppress or deny his feelings. There were times when emotions were vastly inconvenient and unpleasant sensations.

oxoxoxoxo

The screen door banged loud enough to make her jump. Most loud noises had the same effect. Toby said it was a normal reaction to the trauma of being shot. That fact didn't make her feel much better.

"Sorry! I'm sorry." Walter winced. "I didn't mean for the door to slam. I lost my grip."

And Paige was tired of feeling like she was losing hers. So she chose to ignore it. "Allie said she and Cabe are headed to the grocery store and they're taking Ralph to help do some ranching research? Did I hear that right?"

"Remember it's '_Carl_' and '_Shelly_' or 'Mom' and 'Dad' it you find it easier_," _Walter lectured even though he'd stumbled over everyone's fake names only moments before.

He quailed a little at her look, then continued, "And-and, uh, _'Julian'. _He and I haven't had time to completely set up our secure network yet, so in order to know how to care for the specific animals on this property, we need to do some quick research the old-fashioned way. They're going to stop by a library. And I think they are going to buy some appropriate clothes for all of us while they're in town."

"I guess wearing a suit and tie on the range isn't very practical," Paige grinned, then added, "I sure hope Cabe, I mean 'Carl', picks up some of the food himself this time around. I love... 'Shelly' to death, but if I don't eat something with meat in it soon, I'm likely to go feral and prey on the next poor unsuspecting forest creature who wanders by. She won't even fix the eggs she and Ralph gather every morning. I've taken to boiling up a few and scarfing them down when she's busy doing other things."

"Um, complete proteins with all the essential amino acids are important for healing tissues. I'll talk to her."

"No. Walter. That's not necessary. Think about how she feels being vegan and living on a cattle ranch. I'm sure it's hard enough for her just being here and she never complains about it. If you would allow me to do some of the cooking. Please? I really don't mind."

"I don't want you having a set back." His face was taking on that mulish look of his. "And what do you think you're doing there?" He said impatiently as he gestured vaguely at the mop handle she was leaning on.

She deliberately plunged the mop head up and down a few times in the bucket at her feet. "I'm doing my nails."

Paige bent and wrung out the old string mop. It had seen better days, but it was her only option at present. Immediately after Ralph and Allie left, she'd gone to text one of them with a request for a Swiffer. Then she remembered it wasn't an option, either the Swiffer or the text. Their cell phones were all back at the garage in LA.

She dropped the head to the kitchen tile with a squishy plop and pushed it toward Walter leaving a wet streak on the floor until she nudged at his foot. "You are literally standing in the way of progress."

He wasn't amused. "I told you everyone else could deal with the household chores! You should be resting!"

"It's a fortunate thing I think you're cute. Otherwise I'm afraid I'd have to hurt you. Walter, this place is filthy and I refuse to sit around and do nothing all day while everyone else is busy trying to make this house livable while waiting on me hand and foot. A little mopping won't kill me, but I might kill you if you try to stop me."

He scowled at her for a few seconds in a silent stand off. He eventually relented and looked away first, throwing his hands up in aggravated surrender. "Fine! But _don't _over tax yourself." He started to walk away, but then he turned, looking more worried than annoyed as if mopping the floor would literally take her away from him. It tugged at her heart. He added a pained, "And please promise me you'll lie down for a while after you're done."

"I promise." She wanted to hug him and tell him she wasn't going anywhere, but realized that promise was as impossible as her thwarted text message to Ralph. She couldn't guarantee something wouldn't go badly wrong with the whole situation. And he was all too aware of that fact. Paige resumed mopping before Walter could change his mind and argue with her some more.

oxoxoxoxoxo

"Paige?"

She was reluctant to open her eyes. She wanted to cling to the vestiges of her dream a little bit longer. It was just getting to the good part.

"I-I mean, um, 'Jessica'? Sorry. I'm having trouble getting used to your new name. I didn't want to wake you, but it's time for your pill." She felt the cushion depress as he sat one hip next to her prone figure on the couch.

It appeared the actual subject of her lovely dream wasn't going to let her drift back to sleep. Maybe she could get lucky and make the dream a reality. And Walter would get lucky in the process too. He'd been wound so tightly lately.

An enticing smile curled her lips at the thought and her eyelashes fluttered open for only a moment to ensure her aim wouldn't be off. Her arms reached out to embrace him and caught him off guard. She captured his little surprised gasp with her mouth. Taking her time, she nibbled and kissed his lips until he hummed deep in his throat.

He placed his hands firmly on her shoulders and pushed slightly away looking dazed and flushed and way too delicious for her sanity. "Um, w-we shouldn't." He swallowed hard.

During the course of their relationship, Walter didn't often initiate intimacy. He'd once told her it was because he 'wasn't adept at gauging her interest' or some such garbage and he didn't want to 'over step or make her uncomfortable'. The one thing he'd _never_ done was turn her down.

Ever.

Her old insecurities began looming, whispering lies into her mind. Maybe he wasn't attracted to her anymore. Maybe he was turned off by the fresh scars on her once smooth skin.

She knew it was all nonsense, but Paige couldn't help it. She pouted. "Why not?" She asked petulantly. "Don't you miss being with me?" They hadn't made love since they'd reconciled and 'Mama' was feeling more than a little 'pent up' and now she was dealing with a niggling doubt he didn't want her as much as he used to.

"Yes," he answered simply and truthfully, "But you've been injured. And-and you're still recovering."

Ah. Good answer.

Feeling more confident, Paige all but purred, "I feel fine. Almost as good as new."

She tried to lean in and resume kissing him but he still held her at arm's length, his eyes begging her to stop or to keep going. She wasn't sure which. "Says the woman who just took an hour and forty-seven minute nap…" He frowned at her, but his heightened color and the heat in his gaze gave him away. It was both frustrating and irresistible.

When he didn't move any farther away and his hands began a slow glide up and down her arms, Paige took it as a good sign and kept pushing at him. She bit her lip in the way she knew drove him the tiniest bit crazy. Then she said, "Walter, I'm not fragile. I won't break."

She could see his resolve weakening further. "I don't want to hurt you," he almost whined, attempting to be sensible one last time.

Silly Walter.

Paige pulled out all stops and gave him her best alluring look. The one that said she wanted to have her wicked way with him. Now. "Don't worry. I won't let you."

With that promise, she watched his remaining resistance crumble. She maneuvered around and straddled his lap, claiming his mouth almost fiercely. He wasn't going to talk his way out of it again. She set about proving to him healing can take many forms.


	3. Right Neighborly

**CAN I GET A WITNESS?**

**CHAPTER 3: RIGHT NEIGHBORLY**

**AN: Howdy. Here's the next installment for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!**

**For Earnie: New fake names for our fugitives are as follows - Walter is Josiah or Joe, Paige is Jessica, Ralph is Julian, Cabe is Carl and Allie is going by Shelly. I only use their fake names in dialogue and when I do, I will put single quotes around them. When they are thinking or talking to one another, I will generally use the names we all know and love.**

**oxoxoxoxoxo**

"So, how long have you two been married?"

"Huh?" Paige's head snapped up at the question. She'd been unprepared for a visitor, but felt it would be even more conspicuous if she pretended not to be home for the forth or fifth time this lady had tried to visit. Now she was so nervous she couldn't recall the back story she was supposed to tell and she could feel the sweat gather under her arms making her shirt stick to her. Great. Not only was she being unfriendly and acting dense, she probably smelled bad too.

What happened to the old Paige who used to seamlessly run cons with her mother? The one who'd coolly walked into the UN with a fake pregnant belly full of contraband? What happened was a renewed distaste for lying, that's what. "Oh, um…"

"I'm so sorry," her sunny-haired, forty-something next door neighbor said, looking crestfallen and more than a little pink in the face. "I didn't mean to pry. I only assumed… because you have a son about our middle daughter's age. But I see you aren't wearing a ring…"

Paige rushed to reassure her. "No, _I'm_ sorry. I'm a little out of it. I had surgery right before we moved here. Um, 'Joe' and I have been married…, uh, fifteen years. We separated for a little while before I, uh, got sick." As she related the back story she'd finally recalled she also tried to remember not to talk too fast or offer too many details or touch her nose or look up and to the right even though the woman wasn't a genius behaviorist like the person who taught her about those tells.

"Oh, no! Are you doing okay? Is there anything you need?"

This woman was so incredibly _nice_. Paige picked at the coffee cake her neighbor - she thought she said her name was Susan - brought over as a welcome gift. "No, thanks. I'm improving every day. Slower than I want to, but I'm getting there. It's hard watching my family do all the work around here, but my husband won't allow me to lift a finger. My being… sh, uh, sick really scared him."

Suzanne. That was it.

Suzanne leaned toward Paige and smiled knowingly, "Maybe I should try having surgery. I wouldn't say 'no' to a little of that treatment myself. If you don't mind my asking, was it your illness that made the two of you decide to get back together? Was it one of those blessings in disguise things? You can tell me to shut up if you don't want to say. I know I'm being that cliché nosy neighbor right now."

"It's no problem. I've got nothing to hide." That might be the biggest lie yet. "It's a pretty typical story, really. My, um,… 'Joe' was obsessed with work. I felt like a single mom for years. We no longer shared any of the same interests. You know how it is." Paige shrugged. At least she could mingle a few truths here and there between the falsehoods. "We had this big blow up and I walked out. I acted like a total jerk too. I threw all of his worst fears in his face and I even tried to destroy his business." At Suzanne's appropriately appalled look, Paige nodded. "I _know_. Right? It was awful. _I_ was awful. It just hurt so much that he valued s-some…" - oops, she'd almost said 'someone' – "some_thing_ more than me and… 'Julian'. I wanted to hurt him. So I did. Then when I got… um, sick, we both remembered what was truly important to us. Part of the reason for coming here was to get away from the rat race and reconnect as a family. It's been good for us so far."

Suzanne reached over and patted Paige's hand. The sympathetic gesture caused her throat to grow tight. She stuffed a bite of cake she didn't want into her mouth to stem the flow of lies. She pasted on what she prayed was a convincing smile. "This is really good. Nice and, uh, moist. Thank you."

"You're very welcome. It's so easy. I'll give you the recipe. Plus, it gave me an excuse to get a good look at the new neighbors." Suzanne winked, "And I'm very pleasantly surprised. Goodness. I know I'm coming off like a busybody. I'm really not. I'm just so happy to have another adult female around to talk to. Us old married ladies gotta stick together, don't we? And I'm not going to let you give yourself a hard time about your marriage mistakes. It's a learn-on-the-job process. None of us know what the heck we're doing when we go into it all young and bright-eyed. For instance, it took me a long time to learn when you're married and you deliberately hurt your spouse it actually hurts you in the process. By the time I learned that particular lesson it was nearly too late. Girl, I've been there. Oh, and best advice my mom ever gave me? When you're mad at your husband, do something nice for him."

Paige replied bitterly, "The only advice I ever got from my mom was 'Don't get caught. And if you do get caught, lie.'"

"She sounds like a real piece of work."

"You don't know the _half_ of it."

"Oh and by the way, when I said to 'do something nice', I didn't mean bake him a cake with a laxative filling either." The two women laughed together. Paige thought how wonderful it was to find someone a little older than her who'd been in the trenches of lasting love. Who'd stuck it out against the odds and discovered how rewarding it could be. She realized she'd never had a good example of marriage in her life. Her parents sure didn't provide a great model to follow.

"Anyway, as I was saying, feelings follow actions," Suzanne continued, "It's true. Hang in there, sister. Marriage is tough, but it's worth it. It really is. You have to endure the hard stuff to get to the good stuff. Hey, you guys are going to need some couple friends. You know, to support you. That's really important too. Why don't you come on over for dinner on Saturday? Bring your in-laws and Julian too. I'm sure my girls would love to meet him. It would be good for him to have a few familiar faces around when he starts school in a few weeks."

Paige was surprised to find she really wanted to go. So surprised and pleased to be invited she found herself agreeing before she really thought about how Walter would react to the idea.

oxoxoxoxoxo

She felt more than heard him sidle up behind her. He gently placed his hands on her hips as she stood at the kitchen sink. The warmth of his body as he pressed his chest to her back and feathered a few kisses on her neck caused her to shudder and her knees to go wobbly. She knew the light-headedness had nothing to do with blood loss this time. It was simply her usual reaction to his touch; his nearness. The same reaction she'd always had when he was close. Only it seemed much stronger now.

Now that she'd faced her own mortality. She'd been at risk plenty of times on Scorpion missions and she'd never once thought she might actually lose her life. Because when they'd first met, Walter guaranteed he wouldn't let anything happen to her. After she'd walked out on him, there were no more guarantees. So when she'd been shot, for the first time, she knew there was a very real possibility she could die. Now that they'd found their way back to each other again, she refused to take her absolute faith in Walter for granted again. Walter would protect her, and more importantly their son, with every idea in his incredible brain, every breath in his body, with his very life if it came down to it. She was working on forgiving herself for ever doubting him. Part of her penance would be spending the rest of her life, however long it turned out to be, proving to him that he wasn't inadequate in any way. That he was enough. That he was completely loved just as he is. No matter what.

Paige tilted her head so his lips had better access. Her body automatically leaned into his, fitting perfectly. She hummed in pleasure.

"I thought I told you I'd do the washing up once the cows were tucked in for the night. Cabe and Allie have already retired to the bunkhouse and Ralph went upstairs to his room, so there was no one to keep an eye on you." He tsked softly and his whispered words tickled her ear making her feel shivery. "You're being very naughty again."

She dropped the wash cloth into the soapy water and turned to face him, looping her arms around his neck. "It was only a few pots and pans. Am I in big trouble?"

Walter's arms encircled her waist and he slid his hands into the back pockets of her jeans. He touched her lips softly with his. Once. Twice. Not nearly enough. Her toes curled in her slippers. "You leave me no choice. I think I'm going to have to send you to your room early."

Paige grinned impishly at him. "I'll go quietly if you'll come with me."

OXOXOXOXOXO

In the past, Paige found life went more smoothly if she introduced new ideas or relayed difficult news to Walter when they were basking in the afterglow of a mutually gratifying bout of sex. Their sexual chemistry was phenomenal and he was usually much more open to new information during their prolonged cuddles afterwards. They could and often did discuss anything freely during those times.

"You did _what_?!"

Maybe not this time, however.

"It's not the end of the world, Walter. It's dinner." Paige sighed. When he rolled away from her, she scooted up to prop her back against the headboard. "And I'd really like to go." She hugged a pillow to her chest. While the sight of her naked body often distracted him enough that he would agree to a lot of things, she didn't think the strategy would work in this case.

"What happened to keeping a low profile? We don't know these people or who they might be working for. They could be our single point of failure…" Walter hopped up, yanked on his boxers and paced around the bed muttering. His hair was sticking up on one side where she'd been tugging on it earlier. She would've thought it was cute if they weren't in the middle of an argument.

Okay. She thought it was cute anyway.

"Suzanne is a secretary at the elementary school and has been for years ever since their youngest started kindergarten. And Scooter is a rancher. I'm pretty sure they aren't on the payroll of the LA County prosecutor's office or the US Marshals or anyone worse. They've lived here their whole lives. If it makes you feel better, you can run a deep background check on them now that you guys have your secure network up and running."

"I already did. On all the neighbors and many of the town's residents. They all appear to be legit but what if one of their kids innocently posts pictures of Ralph on social media? Or what if they tell someone who knows someone? You'll just have to call and cancel. Say you aren't feeling up to it."

If he kept this up, Paige was going to have to bake him two cakes. She bit the inside of her cheek for a couple of seconds to keep herself from saying something she might regret later.

"Walter, I _can't_ call. We don't have a phone, remember?"

"Semantics. Then _I_ will go over there and simply explain…"

"You will do no such thing. Suzanne is just being nice. She doesn't have some nefarious plot to reveal our true identities or our location. Ralph and I are going and that's it."

"No! I forbid it!" He knew he'd gone too far when she went dead quiet and he stopped pacing long enough to see the furious look on her face. He quickly back-pedaled a bit turning his words into a plea. "How can I keep you safe when you won't listen to me?"

"Excuse me? Forbid? Walter, I'm trying to give you a pass because I know you're really scared for Ralph and that's the place I believe this is coming from. I also know me getting hurt has you all shaken up. I get that too," At his skeptical look, she hastened to add, "But you can't lock us up in this house until the trial especially if we don't get a trial date for a couple of years. Plus, I'm not sure it's any less suspicious to hide from the neighbors than it would be to act friendly. How are they supposed to buy that we're here to start a new life and reconnect as a family if we're holed away and refuse to socialize? It'll make our circumstances all the more curious because that's not how things operate in a community this size. People depend on one another out here. It's not like LA where you can be anonymous in the crowd."

"We should've stayed in LA then," he groused. She knew she'd won the battle when he slumped down on his side of the bed and asked, "What kind of a stupid name is 'Scooter' anyway? It sounds more like a mode of transportation for octogenarians."

Paige chuckled. "I don't think that's his given name. I'm pretty sure it's a nickname."

She knee-walked up behind him and circled Walter's shoulders with her arms. She dropped a kiss on the back of his stubborn head. He didn't move away from her, but he still looked grumpy.

"What am I supposed to talk to this 'Scooter' about anyway?" he asked in a sullen tone.

Paige moved around to his side and grabbed his face, turning it toward her so she could kiss him on the nose. His gaze flitted down to her bare breasts then back up to meet hers. She smirked knowingly. "How about ranching? Maybe he could give you lessons?"

His eyebrows shot up. "We're doing fine on our own. I'm sure we're going to be great at this ranching thing. Those books Ralph checked out were very helpful."

"Says the guy who I saw running around behind the herd yelling, 'Shoo! No! Don't go that way, stupid cow!' when I was sitting on the back porch shelling peas today." Paige giggled a little before turning it into a cough. Then she placed an apologetic kiss on his lips when he gave her a sour look.

With her hands still on his cheeks, she said earnestly, "If it gets weird, we'll go home. Okay?"

She swallowed his reply with a firm kiss on his mouth, taking it as a yes.


	4. Mending Fences

**CAN I GET A WITNESS?**

**CHAPTER 4: MENDING FENCES**

**AN: Happy Saturday! **

**oxoxoxoxoxo **

Nothing much scared Walter O'Brien. As long as he was able to calculate the odds of a favorable outcome, risks typically didn't bother him. Paige assumed he was nervous because her insistence on going to dinner at their neighbors' house might expose their true identities or give away their location. And he _was _concerned about that. A little. But he knew the odds were low. Slightly higher statistically if they slipped up and used their real names or their cover stories didn't jibe. All in all, however, he was fairly confident they wouldn't place themselves in further danger from one social encounter.

However, the truth was Walter allowed Paige to think he was nervous about being exposed because he didn't want to acknowledge the real reason.

He was afraid the Grahams wouldn't like him. It was an old fear. An illogical one, he knew. But he couldn't help it. Paige had cited his inability to relate to her normal friends as part of the reason she was unsatisfied with their previous relationship.

Later, she swore she didn't mean the hateful things she'd said to him when she'd left. It didn't matter. He still struggled with doubts. Because he knew he really did frustrate her with his social inadequacies. And he was all too aware he'd never be the life of the party. He'd improved somewhat over the years working with Paige, but he very much feared he'd always come off as weird to normal people. The only thing he could try to do differently is pretend not to be miserable.

That was another thing she'd said. Paige couldn't stand how he always looked miserable the whole time they were out with her friends. And the reason those comments still bothered him so much is because he knew there was a grain of truth in them no matter what she later said to the contrary.

He would just need to try the old 'fake it til you make it' method. Isn't that what normal people did?

He could do this. He _had_ to do this. He could follow her lead. He could be pleasant. He could be considerate. He could strive to be _normal_ for one evening.

Even if it killed him.

OXOXOXOXOXO

It was an utter disaster.

It didn't start off that badly. Suzanne greeted everyone warmly and graciously accepted the bottle of wine they'd brought over as a hostess gift. Scooter politely shook hands with Walter and Cabe when they were introduced. He showed them to the living room and offered them each a beer. Paige was surprised and a little worried when Walter actually took the alcoholic beverage without so much as a blink. There was no lecture about impairing cognitive abilities, nothing.

O-kay. That was new.

Ralph and the Graham's three daughters were a touch distant with each other at first. Until Lyla, their eldest, asked him if he liked horses. Soon the conversation turned to enthusiastic gushing about the colt that'd been born a few days before and it wasn't long before the girls were begging to take Ralph to the barn to show off the newest member of their equine family.

Suzanne smiled indulgently, "I don't see why not. The coals on the grill aren't quite hot enough yet, so dinner will still be another half hour at least."

Paige was about to grant her permission when Walter said an emphatic and final 'no', offering no explanation but brooking no arguments either. The Graham girls looked stunned and Ralph fell into mutinous silence, glaring daggers at Walter.

A long, awkward pause followed, then Walter smiled benignly at Suzanne and said, "The drapes in the bay window are quite lovely. They precisely match the blue stripe in this couch."

Needless to say, his demeanor came off a bit over-the-top and creepy.

She replied with a somewhat leery, "Um, thanks? My mother-in-law made them…"

Paige hopped up. "Um, Suzanne, can I help you with anything in the kitchen?"

Their hostess instantly grabbed the lifeline. "Oh, uh, sure. Come on and help me with the rolls."

"I'll come too," Allie said and followed the other two women to the kitchen. As they left, a TV blared to life, loudly broadcasting a baseball game. Paige could well imagine Walter's and Ralph's eyes glazing over.

Paige tried to take out her frustrations on the dough as she punched it down and slapped it on the counter before kneading it into submission. She reminded herself Walter couldn't help it and she suddenly felt the need to defend him to her new friend. "I'm sorry about 'J-Joe'. He's not comfortable around people he doesn't know very well. It takes him time to warm up. Trust me, he grows on you."

"He's also very protective of 'Julian'," Allie added, "He doesn't mean to be disagreeable."

Paige smiled her thanks at Allie for the show of solidarity.

The three ladies gathered around the greased muffin tins and began rolling the dough into balls.

"Don't worry about it," Suzanne assured them, "It's just… you can see the barn from the front porch and our kids practically grew up in there. We never think anything about our girls going out there on their own. But I understand if Joe thinks Julian is too, well, kind of delicate…"

"My son is _not _delicate," Paige said between teeth bared in a forced smile. Allie laid a flour-coated hand on her arm to steady her.

Suzanne hurried to explain, "I didn't mean any offense. Really. We just don't watch our kids like a hawk in the country, that's all I meant. My girls can handle themselves. I didn't mean to imply there's anything wrong…" She drifted off uncomfortably and made a show of examining their handy-work on the bread. "Well, it looks like we can cover this dough and leave it to rise for a few minutes. How about we open that wine now?"

While Suzanne was hunting for a corkscrew and setting out three wine glasses, Scooter burst through the swinging kitchen door. He was a big, broad-shouldered man who seemed to fill the entire space. He snatched a large platter of meat out of the refrigerator and headed for the back door.

"Need any help?" Cabe called from the other room. The door slammed shut on his offer. Both literally and figuratively. But not before Paige heard Scooter grumbling about not needing help from some 'citified smartass' and his father.

Oh, boy. What had Walter said now?

Paige cringed inwardly and pasted on her best affable smile. The women sipped wine and chatted fairly amiably until it was time to set the table. Scooter appeared to have calmed down and collected himself as he cordially asked everyone his or her drink preference. He automatically got Cabe and Walter a second beer each. When Walter took the bottle from his host the grimace he wore made him look like he'd swallowed a bug, but he thanked Scooter civilly.

Paige tried to catch Walter's eye and ask him a silent 'what the heck', but he never made eye contact.

Soon the group began to pass the dishes of sumptuous smelling food around the table. It was plain their hostess had spent many hours of prep time in the kitchen, going to a lot of trouble to put the meal together. Suzanne stopped in the midst of cutting up her youngest daughter's steak when she noticed Allie kept passing the dishes and never actually put anything on her own plate.

"Are you feeling okay?" She asked, looking at her guest apprehensively.

"Oh, uh, yes. I'm fine. Um, I should've mentioned before. I'm vegan."

Scooter choked and turned red in the face.

Suzanne glared at her husband, "I'm so sorry. I should've thought to ask. Could you… maybe eat the salad? Or how about a roll?"

Allie squirmed uncomfortably and replied in a small, embarrassed voice, "The salad has bacon bits in it and the dressing is made with buttermilk. The, uh, rolls have egg in them if I'm not mistaken."

If Suzanne's expression was devastated. In contrast, Scooter's looked completely livid. "What the hell are you people doing working on a cattle ranch? For fuck's sake take a roll," He demanded. "Eating bread has never killed anyone yet."

"It's okay," Allie tried, choosing to ignore Scooter's attitude and his comments entirely. Instead she addressed Suzanne directly, "I'll just visit with everyone then I can eat something at home. It's really not problem. The rest of my family can..."

Cabe slapped the table, drawing all the attention to himself. His eyes narrowed on his host. "She doesn't have to eat if she doesn't want to. It's her choice. Leave her alone." He rose halfway out of his seat before Allie patted him on the shoulder. He slid back into his chair, fuming.

Walter took a swig of beer and suppressed a belch. He pointed with the bottle to the portrait on the dining room wall. "Nice *hic* picture. It uncannily resembles the people in the famous 'American Gothic' painting. The same pose and everything." He snorted. "That same old, unhappy couple looking sour and like they want to use a pitchfork on each other. Or themselves."

"Those are my grandparents!" Scooter roared.

The whole O'Brien clan left before any of them took another bite.

OXOXOXOXOXO

Back at home, a humiliated Paige helped Allie put a simple dinner of tomato basil soup and crackers together while Walter sat on the couch staring out the window with a pensive frown on his face. The beer and the stress of the evening had given him a colossal headache. Cabe watched the rest of the baseball game, scowling at the television as if willing it to say a word so he could pound it through the floor. Ralph had stomped up to his room in a massive huff.

Nobody felt much like eating. Ralph refused to come down at all. They got through dinner all the same, however. Afterwards, Allie and Cabe made a quiet exit to the bunkhouse.

Leaving Walter and Paige alone.

He couldn't meet her gaze. Staring at his feet, he mumbled, "I'm sorry. I'm aware I screwed up. I know you must be disappointed in-in, uh, me."

He looked so troubled Paige couldn't stand it. She knelt on the floor in front of him as he sat there glumly on the couch. "No. Walter, no."

She grasped his chin and made him look at her fully. "It wasn't your fault." Then she smiled. "Well, maybe the American Gothic comments didn't help matters. Was that the beer talking?"

He didn't return the smile. "I'm sure the alcohol exacerbated my lack of filter, yes. I only wanted to fit in with… I didn't want to refuse and insult… It's just… I know you hate this about me. I want you to know I tried. I really did." He ran a frustrated hand down his face. "Don't give up on me. Okay?"

Paige was sincerely confused. "Who said I was giving up on you? Where is this coming from?"

"I know my behavior around humans frustrates you. I know you sometimes think I'll never improve. To the point you are unsatisfied with our relationship."

"Oh, Walter," she breathed, "Hey. You weren't the only jerk in that house tonight and we both know it. You were probably less of a jerk than Scooter if we're comparing here." She got up and sat next to him on the sofa. She slipped her arms around his waist, leaning her head on his shoulder. "You're right. Your social issues do frustrate me at times. But I'm not going anywhere."

"Well, not now. It wouldn't be safe."

"Not _ever_. Do you hear me? Leaving you was never the answer. I really did a number on you with the stuff I said when I left, didn't I? Well, I fully intend to it prove I'm here to stay this time. I'm _not_ giving up on you. I'm _not_ leaving. That wasn't the answer then. It's not the answer now. Leaving will never be the answer. I love you. No matter what. Got it?"

Walter took her hand and began toying with her ring finger. "For better or worse?"

His soft spoken question made her heart bump erratically at the implication. She hid a bashful smile in his shirt. "Yes. When you get ready to ask a certain question, that's my answer. A thousand times, yes."

"Once is enough for me." Walter nodded against her hair and his posture finally relaxed. After a few minutes of enjoying her closeness, he said, "Ralph is really mad at me. He may not be too keen on staying with me right now."

"You were trying to keep him safe. He'll get over it. Now take me to bed so we can get over tonight's fiasco together."

OXOXOXOXOXO

"Hey, man."

Scooter approached Walter as he was reinforcing a fence post that had begun to lean. He looked at the other man warily. "Hey."

"Look. I'm really sorry about dinner last night. I can kinda be a jerk to folks I don't know very well. I'm not much good at meeting new people."

"Yeah? I've been told things like that a lot myself. Only 'arrogant', 'rude' or 'weird' are the adjectives most often used to describe me."

Scooter grinned, "I mostly get 'asshole', so 'arrogant', 'rude' and 'weird' would be an improvement."

Walter chuckled. "I've gotten that one too. Many times, in fact."

The big man took the cap off of his head and scratched at his scalp before replacing it at a slightly crooked angle. "Look, I'm deep in the doghouse with my Suzanne. I can't stand it when she's mad at me. My life's not worth living right now. You know how it is. Can I tell her we've made nice?"

"When I mess up, 'Jessica' is an expert at making things tough on me as well." They shared a sympathetic look. "So, yes. I know what you mean. Luckily, last night she thought you were worse than me."

Scooter threw back his head and laughed heartily. "Women, right?"

"You can tell Suzanne we're okay now."

Without being asked, Scooter bent and held the post upright while Walter packed dirt around it with a shovel. "You may want to think about putting cement around the base of these. I have a mixer in the barn if you ever want to use it."


	5. Pregnant Pause

**CAN I GET A WITNESS?**

**CHAPTER 5: PREGNANT PAUSE**

**AN: Waiting for an update? Here you go...**

**OXOXOXOXOXO**

A sulky Ralph slouched up to Walter. "Grandpa made me come out here to see if you need any help with the fence posts."

"Nope. Not any more. Scooter helped me get them all secured."

"Scooter? So, you guys are best buddies now?" Ralph's eyebrows nearly disappeared into his hairline.

"I wouldn't say 'best buddies', but we bonded over our women getting mad at us. Oh, and the fence repairs." Walter took off his leather work gloves and slapped the dust off of them. "What I'd really like to hear is if we're okay? You and me."

The boy shrugged.

Walter slung an arm around Ralph as they walked toward the house. "Look. I know it seems like I'm being unreasonable at times. You do realize it's just because I want you to be safe though, right?"

"No. That's not it."

"It _is_. I don't feel like I can offer you protection…"

Ralph pulled away and scowled at him. "No. That's not the reason I'm upset. I'm mad because you treat me like an idiot. Like I'm some stupid kid," the teen snapped. "You need to trust me not to go wandering into danger unwittingly and I really need you to stop thinking I'm a useless moron!"

"What? Where is this coming from? I'm well aware your IQ is technically a few points higher than mine…"

"And yet you won't even allow me in the room when you and Cabe contact the Marshals. Even though I'm actually the one with the information they need and your decisions directly affect me. You won't let me help with the research of the criminal network. Even though I'm the one who initially discovered the evidence against them. I guess you think I'm too dumb or too _delicate_ to hear about the kinds of things they've done to people. Even though they nearly succeeded in killing me," he sneered, "You wouldn't even let me go into a barn to look at a-a… _damn_ horse. You made me look like a baby in front of … everyone!"

Ralph stalked away in the direction of the house. Walter was stunned, rendering him inert for a few seconds. He quickly recovered and hurried after the irate boy. When he caught up, he placed a hand on his shoulder. Ralph stopped and turned but jerked away from Walter's touch. The young genius' jaw was clenched and the accusation in his eyes almost made Walter stagger backwards.

"Ralph," Walter said in a tone that was meant to be pacifying. He wore a puzzled frown on his face. "Hey. I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean…"

"I _know_. But you gotta stop looking at me like I'm that same nine year-old you met in a diner all those years ago. I'm four_teen_! Almost fifteen. And a genius. At some point you have to acknowledge that you can use my intelligence to help us get out of this situation. And you can trust me not to take unnecessary risks. I can calculate the odds every bit as easily as you can."

"Yeah… Your mother told me earlier I've been shielding you and hovering a little too much. I just don't want anything else to happen to you. What happened to you and your mom at that safe house? I'm still not dealing with it real well. Part of me doesn't want either of you out of my sight ever again. I realize how illogical that sounds."

Ralph sighed and continued more calmly, "You've been a regular helicopter dad. Don't get me wrong. I understand and appreciate what you're trying to do here. And believe me I'm not over what happened to us either. Or what… nearly happened to us. And I'm not over what I saw or what I know about these people who are after us. I won't be for a long time. But I also know it would help me to be able to do my part to stop them! I want to feel useful. Toby even agrees with me. He told me it would be better for me if I took some power back by helping to put these-these…" Ralph eyed him sidelong, "…uh, _bastards_ \- don't tell mom I said that - in jail. I want to put them away where they can't hurt anybody else. The least you could do is allow me to contribute. I'm going crazy."

Walter decided to ignore the colorful language and nodded thoughtfully instead. "You're absolutely right. I guess I've been scared because you helping on that Centipede case is what got you into this mess to start with. I didn't want things to get worse for you. But it's true. I really could use your skills. You'll have to run it by your mom first, but if it's okay with her, you and I can do some research together this afternoon. And I can catch you up on what we've found out so far. How does that sound?"

"Good."

The two geniuses stared at each other for a few minutes until they both grinned.

"So… We're okay then?" Walter asked cautiously.

Ralph's gaze dropped to the ground as he scuffed the dirt with the toe of one of his brand new boots. "Listen. Another thing is you can't… wreck my mojo with girls, Dad."

"I can't…? Wait. What?"

"You made me look like a total tool in front of those girls the other night."

A snorting laugh burst out of Walter before he could stop it, making his son look up and glare at him. "I'm serious."

"I know. I obviously embarrassed you by reacting poorly and not listening to you. I should've considered all the facts and run the odds first before I stepped in. It won't happen again." Walter did his best to suppress another chuckle.

"That's all I ask. Now let's go see what Mom says about me helping with research. I want to get started right away."

OXOXOXOXOXO

"Mr. O'Brien, it would be in your best interest if you would let us know your current location." The guy in the suit looked reasonable enough but the old adage was true, looks could be deceiving.

Walter's mouth twisted into a sarcastic smile and his finger hovered over the 'escape' key in case the Fed he was video chatting with kept making stupid comments. "How exactly would that be in my best interest?"

"Don't forget, an official subpoena has been served. Ralph is court _mandated_ to appear and to testify when we need him. One could perceive your hiding him as a violation of the law since you're preventing him from appearing."

"No. I'm not technically preventing him from doing anything. His live feed testimony was sufficient for the grand jury to indict on all charges. When the official court date is set and his testimony is required for the trial, he will appear _online_ again. From a _safe _distance."

"It's up to the judge whether or not that's good enough for the trial. Besides, we can better ensure his safety from here…"

Walter erupted into mirthless laughter then quickly sobered. "Sure. Look how well it turned out last time your people tried that."

At least the guy had the courtesy to seem slightly contrite. Well, before he went and opened his mouth again. "I assure you we've found the source of the leak and dealt with it accordingly." He cleared his throat, probably to dislodge the remnants of the blatant lie he'd just told.

"You'll have to forgive me if I don't feel it's wise to trust you at this juncture. 'Fool me twice' and all."

"Can you at least confirm that the Dineen boy is indeed with you? From the trace we're running, we've got you in The Maldives by way of… Kentucky?" The man's lips thinned at the corners. "I'm assuming that's a false location."

"I will neither confirm nor deny," Walter replied cheerfully, "And Gan is nice this time of year. You really should visit soon. I've been working on my tan…"

The stoic expression morphed into contempt. "We will need you to continue to check in on a regular basis and let Agent Gallo know he's officially on suspension. This whole situation is entirely unprecedented."

The screen went blank.

Walter turned to Ralph and Cabe. "He hung up on me. And people say _I'm_ rude," he said almost gleefully. "Now we need to get down to business."

Cabe shook his head. "I almost feel sorry for him. Okay, no I don't. What else have you got on the money laundering? This organization is like an octopus, it has so many arms."

Ralph tapped away on his laptop. "More like a hydra. Or a bowl of spaghetti. Oooo, spaghetti. Is anyone besides me getting hungry?"

"Kid, you're always hungry…"

"Hey! I found another possible link!" Walter motioned for the other two to come and have a look.

For a few minutes, Paige stood at the bottom of the stairs watching her boys work together. Here were three generations of men, all unrelated. Yet anyone looking on would swear they were family. Her son was surrounded by people who understood him, who cared for him. Had she honestly almost made him give up that connection? Because of hurt feelings? It was unfathomable.

"Hey, guys," She interrupted after a while, "When you get to a stopping point, you really should come upstairs and eat before the food gets cold."

OXOXOXOXOXO

"You got a secret admirer?" Cabe eyeballed the flowers on the dining table critically.

Allie's face lit up and she gave him a teasing glance. "What can I say. I've still got it!"

"Seriously, where did these come from? Did you check them for bugs?"

"I think they came from a florist, so they shouldn't have any bugs on them…"

Cabe scoffed derisively. "Not those kinds of bugs. Listening devices. We can't be too careful what we accept into this house from outside sources…"

Allie giggled. "Calm down. Consider your blood pressure. Scooter brought them by as an apology gift for me. I thought it was a very sweet gesture."

The Homeland agent snatched the offending blossoms across the table, sloshing water over the rim of the vase in the process. "We have to be sure," he growled as he practically tore the flowers apart pretending to search for spying equipment when they both knew he just didn't care for another man bringing Allie flowers. In fact, he was so uptight about it he didn't see the tiny black circle under the florist's seal on the bottom of the vase.

OXOXOXOXOXO

Walter pressed his lips to her forehead. "It doesn't seem like you have a temperature, but I'd rather err on the side of caution when it comes to your health. I'll get the thermometer."

Paige stopped him from rising with a hand to his arm. "I'm _fine_, Walter. I'm just feeling a little… off right now. Especially with food for some reason. When Allie brought out that slimy, goopy pudding with the chia seeds…" she shuddered in revulsion, "…I don't know. I can't even think about it now without getting nauseated. Ugh. The smell. I don't mean to complain. She's trying so hard. Maybe if I did more of the shopping or cooking…"

"Out of the question."

"Wal_ter_! Do we really need to have another conversation about how you aren't actually a dictator?" Paige rolled toward the side of the bed as if to get up.

It was his turn to lay a quieting hand on her arm. She looked over her shoulder at him. "I'm sorry. I know. Perhaps if you could let me come with you to the store? As I was explaining Ralph earlier… I'm experiencing an uncharacteristic amount of anxiety when you two are out of my sight. I, uh, I'm trying… It-it isn't that I don't think you're capable. But now you're feeling poorly again. What if you've worn yourself down by doing too much? Or what if you didn't heal properly in the first place? What if you've developed an infection after all?" He swallowed hard and gazed at her with anguished eyes.

She laid back down and turned toward him so she could rest her head against his chest. She slipped an arm around his waist and felt the tension begin to leave his body. "Hey. You aren't getting rid of me that easily, mister. I think I could tell if something was seriously wrong. Besides, I've been on antibiotics for nearly six weeks now, so I don't think it's an infection. It's hard to explain. I don't feel like I'm coming down with anything. It's just… When I get hungry, I feel sick. And certain smells are really getting to me right now. The last time I felt this way…"

Paige suddenly sat bolt upright, her eyes wide with shock. "Oh, crap," She whispered, "I've been on _antibiotics_ for six weeks."

Walter sat up and looked at her with a puzzled frown. "What does that signify? Do you think the medicine is making you sick to your stomach?" The expression on her face was equal parts fear and awe. He'd never seen anything like it before.

She huffed out a little laugh. "No. Well, I guess it's all in how you look at it."

"I'm confused. What do you mean?"

"I can't be sure. But if you think about it, it makes perfect sense. Oh, Walter," she breathed covering her flushed cheeks with her hands. Tears gathered in her eyes.

He looked at her in alarm. "What is it? What's wrong?"

She winced a little, giving him a timorous smile. "You see, I didn't take my pills while I was in the hospital recovering from surgery. I mean, who thinks about those things at a time like that. I was too out of it and the doctor didn't even know I was on them. And why would a surgeon think to ask much less prescribe them. Then they put me on these dumb antibiotics, so when I went back on my pills, they probably didn't work properly. Hey, let's face it, since I started feeling better, you and I have… Well, we've been a little busy in the bedroom making up for lost time. Wow. This always happens at the absolute worst times…" Her smile grew and she shook her head in wonder.

"What?!" He was almost frantic now.

"Walter, I think I might be pregnant."


	6. Spy Games

**CAN I GET A WITNESS**

**CHAPTER 6: SPY GAMES**

**AN: Okay, we're gonna liven things up a bit in this chapter. You in?**

**oxoxoxoxoxo**

_**"Walter, I think I might be pregnant."**_

"Walter? Say something." Paige pleaded as she waved a hand in front of his face. When she got no response, she snapped her fingers a few times. She was growing ever more troubled by his blank stare. He hadn't said a word since she'd shared her suspicions.

His eyes vaguely focused on hers. "I don't know what to do with that information," he muttered.

"Neither do I. Let's keep the panicking to a minimum though. I don't know anything for sure yet." Paige chuckled a little. "And if I am? We'll figure it out. Right? Scorpion thrives on the unexpected. We never shy away when things get complicated."

Suddenly fully alert, he replied, "This isn't Scorpion we're talking about. It's _us_. Historically, you and I have always run from complications in our relationship."

Paige was temporarily taken aback, but she couldn't deny the blunt truth even if she'd wanted to. "Okay. You're not wrong. We usually tend to react before we talk. Communication has never been one of our strengths, has it?"

"No. It wouldn't say so." Walter shook his head. "If we don't improve, we're doomed to repeat the same mistakes. And-and I don't want that."

Paige placed a hand on his cheek and stroked it with her thumb for a moment. "I don't want that either. How do you think we should start?"

"You're asking me? You're the EQ expert."

"Except we've already proven I'm as flawed as any human in that department. I'm open to suggestions."

He stared at his fists in his lap as if he didn't know how they'd gotten there. "I-I guess I could start by confessing… See, I was reluctant to say anything before… So I, uh, tried not thinking about it. That stratagem doesn't work as efficiently as it once did."

He gave her a brief pained look and she motioned for him to go on, hoping she came off as more encouraging than alarmed.

"Things have been going so well, considering everything. But in the interest of full disclosure, I think I should tell you that I'm afraid, make that terrified, of disappointing you yet again. I may have changed somewhat over the past few years, but I'm still essentially the same man. Take the other night when I didn't want to go to dinner at the neighbors' house. It wasn't because I thought our identities could be exposed. Or it wasn't only that. It was mostly due to the fact I still don't understand normal human interactions under many circumstances. I figured it would go badly and it would irritate you, making you impatient with me. I know you told me it didn't matter, but I'm concerned that later on down the road, when-when you and Ralph are out of danger and I do something else wrong, which is an absolute inevitability… you-you will recall all the aggravating things I've done and it will prompt you to give up on having a relationship with me and you'll leave again. The last time, you didn't even want to be friends anymore. And what's worse is, if you truly are, um, ex-expecting? I'll not only be losing you and Ralph next time, I'll be losing another person. Another innocent person who shouldn't be subjected to our whims and character flaws and problems as a couple. Like my insensitivity and ignorance as a partner or your insecurities and your tendency to run off when I'm unavoidably less than you need. I might desire a different outcome, but I keep running the odds in my head and coming up with the same scenario every single time."

"Oh, ouch." Paige winced. "That hurt."

He went instantly remorseful. "I-I didn't mean… That wasn't the intention…"

She touched a finger to his lips. "I know. It's okay. First of all, I want to thank you for opening up. But you know that's the thing about truth. Sometimes it hurts. After the 'white lie' nonsense, I see the value of it now more than ever. I can still wish you'd learn to sugar coat it and make it easier to swallow." When he opened his mouth, presumably to apologize or berate himself for his inadequacies again, she stopped him, "But I've accepted that's not in your nature. You struggle with nuances. I can deal with that. What I can't deal with is us splitting up over some little thing that we've let fester until it becomes a big thing. By all means, give me the unvarnished truth. I can handle it a lot better than I handled being away from you. And listen, I can see why you might not trust me yet. But I stand by what I said after that disaster of a dinner the other night. I'm not going anywhere. It'll to take time to prove I mean it, but I'll show you eventually." She scoffed. "It's crazy. I never realized when I was busy running away because of my insecurities, I was actually foisting them off on you. I'm sorry."

Walter shook his head. "It's no different from all those times I got close to you only to pull away. It amounts to the same thing, doesn't it? I was feeding your insecurities too."

"That was very insightful. I'm proud of you. You've come a long way, mister." Paige poked his side playfully.

They sat for a few moments mulling over what was said, grasping hands because they didn't want to lose the physical connection.

"So… I've told you my big secret," Walter began quietly after a few minutes, "Other than fact I'm worried I'll fail to protect you and Ralph and lose everything important to me, which you've probably already guessed, that was the only thing I haven't disclosed since we've reconciled. Um, did you h-have anything you've been keeping from me?"

"You'll think it's stupid."

Walter's look turned incredulous as if he couldn't believe his ears. "It's true. I do find a lot of things stupid. You, however, have always been many things to me. Unfathomable, beautiful, frustrating, insightful, essential. But I can honestly say I've never thought of you in that context. _That_ is the unvarnished truth."

Paige kissed him soundly. "See there? You did it again. You just said the exact right thing."

"Twice in four years," he muttered glumly.

She nudged him with her shoulder. "No. Actually you have a real knack for being unexpectedly sweet. It was one of the first things I fell in love with about you."

His expression turned both shy and elated and she was about to kiss that look right off his adorable face, when he asked, "So, what is your big secret then?"

Paige grimaced.

"It's only fair. You have to tell me if we're going to get better at this open communication thing. Not to mention, I'm more clueless than most men. I'm unusually terrible at reading non-verbal cues and subtext."

"I've been worried you aren't as attracted to me," she blurted, then hurried on before he could comment, "After the break up and after what happened to my body what with the wounds and scars from the gun shots… You've been so careful not to touch or even brush against my injuries even though they're almost completely healed now..."

"What?!" His mouth dropped open in astonishment. "How could you think that? I was trying not to hurt you, that's all. I swear."

"How about you give me some non-verbal cues to prove it?" Paige waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Walter wasn't as bad at picking up on cues as he thought.

OXOXOXOXOXO

"You're pushing yourself too hard." Paige placed a plate piled with grilled cheese sandwiches on the desk next to his elbow. Walter had barely left the basement office since he'd found out about the possibility of a baby. As she sat a water bottle beside the plate, she peeked inside his coffee tumbler and wrinkled her nose at the cold dregs.

Rubbing his gritty eyes with the heels of his hands, he answered, "No I'm not. I'm not working anywhere close to fast enough either. We don't have a minute to lose." He glanced down at her flat abdomen. "Especially now. With-with the, um, potential new development."

"You haven't slept or eaten properly in days, sweetie. Now _I'm_ worried about _you_."

Walter offered her a crooked grin. "That is a switch. I'll try to rest for a couple of hours when I get to the point I can hand off to Sly back at the garage. It's still early yet." He turned back to the keyboard, hands poised to begin typing.

That wasn't good enough. Time to try a different tack. "It's 2:30 in the morning. Take a break. Please? I don't sleep well when you aren't next to me."

His eyes darted to hers. "You aren't getting adequate sleep? Your body needs proper sleep to heal. To borrow a phrase from Happy, that's 'not good'. Not to mention, if you're actually, um, pregnant, you're going to need even more rest because I-I've read pregnancy is statistically more taxing for a woman in her mid-thirties anyway."

Leave it to Walter to research pregnancy while also hunting down bad guys and delegating workload to others on the team. Whoever said men can't multitask had never met her genius.

"Who are you telling?" His concerns about her lack of rest gave her another idea on how to get him to lie down with her for a few hours. "Um, I've also heard worry can increase cortisol levels too. If I'm worried about you, that can't be good for a little stranger. Right?" She smoothed a hand over her lower tummy for affect.

If Walter could tell he was being manipulated, he didn't let on. He blinked tired eyes at her. "I suppose not. So-so, in order to be a good partner and a, um, good prospective father, you think I should come to bed to alleviate your worry about… me?"

"Exactly. But first let's you and me make a few of these sandwiches disappear." Paige grabbed one off of the plate and took a large bite to help hide her satisfied smile.

Yep, she was still a champion genius whisperer.

OXOXOXOXOXO

"That is what I've been trying to tell you for the last twenty minutes! I have all the evidence you need to back it up. I'm one hundred percent positive this shell company is their main pipeline. If you cut off that source, the rest of their enterprise will dry up in due course. And the lack of funds would soon expose all the factions of it to the various authorities."

An exasperated Walter was sick of explaining something so simple to this government dolt. He'd lost every ounce of patience and any semblance of tact he ever claimed to have. He massaged his aching forehead taking a moment to collect himself. He was so incredibly weary.

So Cabe stepped up beside him and peered into the laptop's screen. "He's saying if you drain that particular swamp, all of the alligators will be visible and therefore vulnerable."

"Almost immediately," Walter concurred, nodding his agreement. "I've given you the names, addresses and all of the information you need for the arrests. This is urgent. It needs to happen _today_."

They had already wasted enough time. It had been one, no two, nights – they were all running together in one big blur - since Paige had talked him into sleeping for a few hours. He hadn't even shut his eyes since. Because the next afternoon he'd had a breakthrough and it took him and Ralph both manning the computers at the farm and Happy and Sly tracking down the leads they'd found back at the garage to get to this point. No amount of coaxing could make any of them stop. They were all ready for the entire family to be reunited.

Only Walter and Paige knew their little family desperately needed to get back to life in LA. It was essential. Being on the run was no place for kids. As in plural. As in more than one to consider. Walter had to quell a panic response every time he thought of it.

When it was all said and done, everything triple checked and backed-up multiple places, after exchanging a couple of exuberant high-fives with Walter, Ralph finally crept upstairs undoubtedly to collapse on the nearest horizontal surface for a few hours. The older genius wouldn't have been far behind except he was left to convince this federal clown of the legitimacy of their findings. Over and over and over again. Until the urge to scream and pummel something became almost overwhelming.

"Mr. O'Brien, these things take time. There are procedures. We have to verify the authenticity of your evidence. We have to notify the different agencies. We'll need to obtain the proper warrants…"

Walter slapped both palms to the desk. "Are you on their payroll too? Is that what your problem is? Perhaps I should do some more digging into your finances."

"More?" The Marshal spluttered in indignation, his face going red, "Now-now see here…"

Walter narrowed his eyes. While he spoke softly, his tone was growing ever more ominous. "You have forty-eight hours."

"That's not nearly enough time. This office isn't equipped to deal with organized crime. We'll have to contact at least half a dozen different task forces…"

"I can't tell whether you're being deliberately obtuse or if you're really that stupid. A fourteen year old boy's life is in danger. He wasn't equipped to deal with organized crime either. But somehow he's been forced to deal with it by your agency's failings. I've done everything but hand you this scum on a platter. So let me say this again: You have forty-eight hours after which I will take all my evidence and a recording of this call to the LA Times. I will also broadcast this information on every public computer in the country. Do I make myself clear?" Walter signed off before the jerk had time to answer. He muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'surrounded by imbeciles' under his breath.

Cabe grinned at him and gave his shoulder a friendly squeeze. "Hey. I take exception to that comment."

"You know I didn't mean you. Or anyone else in this house."

"Go and get some sleep, son. You earned it."

OXOXOXOXOXO

It started sometime around midnight.

Walter wasn't sure what woke him at first, but he was suddenly wide awake and on high alert. He thought perhaps it was a noise, but he couldn't be sure.

He gently disengaged himself from Paige's warm embrace, trying not to disturb her.

She stirred and whimpered a little anyway. "What is it?" She whispered groggily.

A muffled beep chirped up the stairs from the living room.

Walter glanced at the bedside clock. There was nothing on the display. The power was out. He quickly figured out what woke him wasn't a sound, but the absence of it. There was no low hum of the refrigerator's compressor nor a whir of a ceiling fan to be heard anywhere in the house.

"Get to the closet and lock the door," he hissed, "The power is out. That means no alarm system. The battery back up is beeping. That means either the batteries need changing or…"

"Someone tampered with it…" Her eyes were wide, white circles in the darkness. Her breaths were rapid and shallow. "What about Ralph?"

"I've got him." He laid one finger on his lips and quietly urged again, "Now, please get to the closet and don't open it until you know it's us."

She clutched at his arm and shook her head. "Not without you." She swallowed hard.

They heard a quiet creaking footstep on the stairs.

"GO!" He mouthed and vaulted out of bed toward the Jack and Jill bathroom that separated their room from their son's. His mind was silently begging Paige to do what he asked as he rushed to Ralph's bedside.

Walter shook the boy's shoulder then briefly covered the teen's mouth to keep him from making a startled sound. He motioned for Ralph to follow him back through the bathroom. They crept soundlessly across the cold tile on bare feet. Walter's heart was hammering so hard it was all he could hear even though his ears strained to listen for the prowler.

He peered around the door into the inky shadows of the bedroom, looking for an indication of anyone crouching ready to pounce. He caught no sign of movement. Ralph clutched the back of Walter's shirt in a tense fist and they began to sneak around the bed toward the closet that doubled as a safe room.

Hinges squeaked as the bedroom door was slowly being pushed inward. The two geniuses noticed simultaneously and made a dash across the floor. If they were spotted, and the killer had a gun, there wouldn't be time for Paige to disengage the locks for them before one of them was shot.

Walter positioned himself between Ralph and the outer door. Maybe he could buy the boy the spare seconds he needed.

The closet door popped open and Paige grabbed a forearm each and hauled her two men inside with her. She promptly hit the panic button as the first shot ricocheted off the steel reinforced door. The heavy bolt locks snicked into place as two more shots hit the wall echoing loudly into the tiny chamber.

"I told you to lock the door behind you!" Walter snapped as he clicked the flashlight on and gathered up the go bag they had prepared.

"It's a damn good thing I didn't. Besides, you want to talk about this _now_?"

"You could've been killed." Walter removed three pairs of slip on shoes from the bag and shoved the duffle down the laundry chute with a little more force than was strictly necessary.

"And you two would've certainly been killed if I _had_ locked the door behind me. You're welcome."

"Can we focus, please? Guys with guns in the next room, remember?" Ralph handed the shoes around to everyone, jiggling them a little to get their attention. He shoved his feet into his own pair and gave his parents an exasperated look as he boosted himself up and disappeared down the chute after the duffle.

Walter quickly donned a pair then bent and laced his hands together so Paige could slide down next.

"You're coming down directly after me. Right? You won't try anything stupid, will you?" She asked.

"I'll be right behind you." He straightened and looked her square in the eye.

"Swear?" She kissed him hard on the mouth.

He nodded once. "I swear."

Paige slid out of sight.

Walter turned off the flashlight and followed his family, hoping it was another lone gunman and he didn't have any hostile cohorts waiting downstairs.


	7. On the Road Again

**CAN I GET A WITNESS?**

**CHAPTER 7: ON THE ROAD AGAIN**

**AN: Here's the next installment for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!**

**OXOXOXOXOXO**

Walter landed with a thud. His foot slipped on the duffle bag and subsequently got caught in one of the straps. He turned his ankle as he was trying to free himself and regain his balance. He gritted his teeth to combat the urge to cry out, his eyes watering with the effort to keep silent.

He came to the hasty conclusion that his initial assessment during Scorpion's mission to Hechnia was correct. Slides _are_ stupid.

His eyes struggled to adjust to the near darkness even as they busily roamed around searching for his family. Paige's hand grasped his elbow and startled him. He could hear her accelerated breathing near his ear.

"There's someone else here." Her whispered observation was barely audible.

Walter's thoughts on that development were much louder. So, it was the worst possible scenario. Fantastic.

Without answering Paige, he quickly reached out and found Ralph pressing close on his other side. He pushed them both behind him, silently willing mother and son to be quiet and still while he listened with all his might for another intruder. Or perhaps the same one as they hadn't heard any more shots fired since they'd slid down the laundry chute into the basement.

Suddenly a bulky, dark shadow limned with moonlight skulked past the window well. The elongated image on the floor showed the unmistakable outline of a gun clutched in the shadow's hands. Paige gasped and her fingers dug into Walter's arm.

"Cabe?" She whispered hopefully.

"I don't think so. Wrong dimensions," he murmured softly back. "Luckily, it appears he's moving in the opposite direction of the exit."

Walter crouched, grabbed the duffle then hoisted one strap over his shoulder narrowly missing Ralph's nose in the process. They soon readjusted positions and as one unit the trio crept toward the short flight of stairs leading up to the kitchen.

Ralph hadn't said a word since their decent into the basement. Despite his earlier bravado and the lecture about being treated like an adult, the youth was obviously petrified. He clung ferociously to both his mother and Walter. The boy's fingers felt clammy and shaky on the older genius' arm.

They moved across the pitch black space feeling their way slowly, partly because they were striving to be stealthy and partly due to Walter limping on his twisted ankle, his jaw clenched tight against the pain. They slinked up each stair carefully knowing the smallest creak could give away their position.

Eventually, they made it to the top. Walter stopped and eased the door open a crack. The moonlight streaming through the kitchen windows made the room appear bright as day compared with the cave-like atmosphere of the basement.

The coast seemed to be clear, so Walter stepped noiselessly out and motioned for his frightened family to follow suit. They rushed to comply, afraid to lose contact with each other for even a moment.

Not so many years ago, Walter would've declared unequivocally he didn't feel fear. But on this particular night, his palms slick with cold sweat, trembling all over with the adrenaline pumping rapidly through his pounding heart, he recognized fear at its most primal in himself. Luckily, in spite of the physiological aspects, the adrenaline also forced his brain to fixate on one task and one task alone: getting the most important people in the world out of that house.

Sticking to the shadows as much as possible, the three of them skirted the periphery of the room, creeping their way toward the outside door. Walter's mind was already internally mapping the most efficient way to get to the rendezvous spot where Cabe and Allie would meet them with the truck.

That had been the plan anyway. If nothing else went sideways.

When Paige had tripped the locks in the panic room, technically it should've set off an alarm alerting Cabe. However, with the power outage, Walter couldn't be sure. Coupled with the fact he couldn't detect the sound of a running engine anywhere no matter how alert he was to the smallest noise. The odds certainly didn't look good. He purposely wouldn't allow himself to calculate the probability that the gunman had gone to the bunkhouse first. The fleeing family would cope with that worst case eventuality if and when it became necessary, but he couldn't deal with the disturbing thought and concentrate on the best escape route at the same time, so he refused to consider it and put all of his focus on the task of getting Paige and Ralph away from imminent danger.

One by one, they slipped out the door and into the cool and deceivingly peaceful, starlit night.

That's when Walter felt someone grab him from behind, pinning his arms to his sides. Even with his arms rendered immobile, he struggled and fought with all the strength he had, stomping on his captor's feet and ramming his heels again and again into the attacker's shins. Agony from his damaged ankle radiated up his leg and still he blindly kicked at this captor while barking instructions at Paige and Ralph, urging them to get away, to run. And in a zigzag path so it would make it harder to take aim at them.

Walter couldn't understand why they weren't fleeing. "You can't help me. Go!" His tone turned pleading. It was odd they didn't seem to be trying to help him either. They both stood frozen, staring at his assailant as if they'd turned to stone. Perhaps they were in shock.

He heard a grunt as his heel connected with the brute's leg again. A large hand covered his mouth and a gruff voice grated close to his ear, "Shut up and hold still, will ya?"

It was Scooter.

Walter instantly went still but his mind was whirring trying to process the strange set of circumstances.

"I'm going to let you go now if you'll stop squirming. Okay?"

The big man set Walter on his feet. The genius gasped sharply when he put his full weight on his now aggravated injury, but ignoring the pain, he immediately whirled around and backed up, keeping his body between Scooter and Paige and Ralph.

Where did the hayseed farmer next door go? This man was decked out head to toe in black. A pair of night vision goggles was pushed up on his forehead and he held a lethal-looking, obviously military issue Glock 19 in the hand he used to scratch at his sweaty bangs under the black stocking hat he wore to hide his fair hair. The gun scraped a pale streak in the camouflage grease paint on his face.

What the hell?

Scooter motioned for the group to duck down and follow him. Paige and Ralph started to comply, but paused when Walter stood there stubbornly staring, his arms crossed firmly over his chest.

"How can we trust you? I don't know you and I don't know where you're taking us. This wasn't part of our plan," Walter hissed, "And where is Cabe?"

Just then they heard a loud boom, the echo of which they felt deep inside their chests. Debris from the bunkhouse rained down all around them causing all four to instinctively hit the ground and cover their heads as the night was overcome with flaring bright orange light. Oily black smoke poured skyward from the place where the bunkhouse used to stand.

"Grandpa?" Ralph whimpered softly, giving voice to the alarm everyone else was experiencing.

"Don't worry, kid. He and your grandma are with your truck over at my place. There's no time to explain now. We need to get out of here before those bastards figure out you aren't hunkered down in the closet slash panic room anymore. And after all your loud-mouthed hollering a while ago Hoss, I'd say there's a damn good chance they already know." Scooter stood and nudged Walter with the toe of one combat boot. "Come on." He offered the other man his hand to help him up.

Ignoring the gesture, Walter got up on his own steam. He resumed his defiant stance and wouldn't budge.

Scooter sighed heavily then continued, "Look, if I wanted to shoot you, I could've picked you off one by one as you came out the door."

It only took a second for Walter to analyze that logic and find it sound. He still looked at Scooter with narrow-eyed suspicion, but he decided to fall in line. For the moment.

The four of them made their way together, sticking to the tree line and bushes as much as possible because the flickering firelight removed most of the shield of darkness. Anyone looking the right way would be able to see them and track their progress. It was slow going until Scooter and Paige propped Walter between them and helped him navigate the uneven ground.

They soon reached a dirt road that ran between the two properties. There was no help for it. They had to cross which would expose them for a few precious seconds. Going around through the woods would take hours and they would risk getting turned around or lost. Not to mention, Walter's ankle was in no condition to stand up to any more abuse.

Walter noted the military garb his neighbor had on included a bullet proof vest, so the genius insisted he and Scooter should act as body armor for mother and son. Paige tried to argue but her arguments fell on deaf ears as she was rushed into position. They made an odd looking clump of humanity as they hurried across, but no one offered any more objections. Scooter and Walter stayed in between the other two and the farm house they'd vacated where the shooter or shooters presumably were still searching for them.

Just as they were passing into the tree line on the other side of the road, they heard a shout then the report from a rifle. A little mote of dust puffed up behind Walter's heel where the bullet struck the dirt. Scooter all but shoved them the rest of the way into the trees. A few more bullets whizzed past them into the dense woods as they took temporary shelter behind the thick trunks.

The group heard more shouts. Their pursuers were getting closer by the minute so the rancher motioned sharply for them to move.

Paige and Ralph took off running while Scooter half carried half dragged the injured genius the rest of the way onto his own property, scaling a fence as if it was nothing in his haste to make sure they all got away.

Walter had never seen such a welcome sight as Cabe and Allie sitting in that old farm truck in the circle drive in front of Scooter's house. The motor was humming in readiness for escape. The three fugitives clambered into the back of the truck, Scooter giving Walter's backside a necessary push and tossing the go bag in after him. They barely had time to shout a quick 'thank you' before Cabe slammed the accelerator to the floor. The truck burned rubber, speeding out of the driveway and hurtling down the street likely going faster than it ever had since the day it rolled off the assembly line floor some two decades before.

It looked like Scooter's promised explanation would have to wait.

It wasn't long before they zoomed past a dozen police cars and a volunteer fire truck, red and blue lights blazing, sirens screaming, heading toward the nightmare they'd only barely escaped.


	8. Baby Maybe

**CAN I GET A WITNESS?**

**CHAPTER 8: BABY MAYBE**

**AN: Hello, there. Here's an update to (hopefully) brighten your Saturday. Thanks for the views and reviews. You guys are the best-est!**

**OXOXOXOXOXO**

The five fugitives sat crowded together at a corner booth in an all night truck stop somewhere in rural Montana. All of them were solemn-faced and unspeaking.

Paige sat between her dozing son and Walter. She pressed tightly against Walter's side, shivering with nerves more than cold. He'd thoughtfully draped his jacket around her shoulders when they'd been riding in the back of the truck. She didn't have the energy to tell him she didn't really need it anymore. Plus, she was taking some comfort from snuggling into the safe, familiar Walter smell.

Her limbs felt like noodles from the spent adrenaline and her empty stomach was grumbling even as the greasy smell of French fries was making her feel nauseated. Oh, the joys of early pregnancy. Or could it only be the stress of the last few hours making her sick? Or was it both?

A sleepy-eyed waitress shuffled over to take their orders. The thought of eating made Paige's stomach pitch, but she ordered tea and toast anyway so she wouldn't draw attention to herself. However, Allie's shrewd eyes caught hers.

The astute woman rummaged around in her purse, produced a bag of ginger drops and slid them across the worn Formica table top. "Here. Have one of these. It might help."

Paige gave her a tired smile. "Thanks."

Her shaking fingers fumbled so long trying to remove the wrapper Walter finally took it from her and asked, "Are you okay?"

When he handed the opened candy back to her she popped it in her mouth and nodded. If she didn't say the words, she wasn't technically lying, was she?

He gave Paige an appraising look then turned his attention to Cabe when the older man asked, "So, what's the plan?"

Walter glanced around furtively. In a low voice, he responded with, "In a minute. Tell us about the whole Scooter thing first. I've figured some of it out, but the rest of his story eludes me."

Yes. Good idea. Hearing about Scooter's involvement would give Paige's anxious mind something to focus on besides the events of the night and the unknowns of tomorrow.

As Cabe drew breath to tell the tale, the waitress chose that exact moment to return with their drinks. He shut his mouth with an almost audible snap, drumming his fingers on the table in a show of blatant impatience, waiting for the woman to leave again.

Paige offered their server a wan smile and a quiet 'thank you' when she placed the steaming tea in front of her. Paige had worked too many jobs in too many diners to be dismissive or unkind to the staff.

As soon as the waitress was out of earshot again, Cabe leaned in and said quietly, "Seems Scooter spent a few years as Ranger in the Army."

"Yes," Walter cut in tersely, "That came up on his background check. I didn't go through his whole service record, but I did note he was honorably discharged. He was even awarded the Meritorious Service Medal. But there was nothing else remarkable about his time in the Army."

"Well, what that record doesn't say and wouldn't say was he spent a few years in Army Intelligence. Pretty high up there. My Marine buddy who loaned us the ranch didn't even know that. And he's suspicious of everyone. I know he checked this guy out."

"Well, that explains all the tactical gear, but not Scooter's timely arrival," Walter interjected.

"I'm getting to that. Keep your shirt on. Apparently, he was more than a little curious about us after that dinner disaster. I guess it was obvious we weren't ranchers or something."

"Gee, I can't imagine how he ever figured us out," Allie said with a droll smile.

Cabe grinned back indulgently and continued, "Anyway, he did some recon. He even slipped a listening device into the house with those darn flowers."

Paige sat up straight. "That jerk."

Allie patted her hand. "That jerk probably saved all of our lives tonight."

Walter looked disgusted. "After putting them in danger to start with."

"What do you mean by that?" Paige asked in genuine confusion.

Ralph's eyes blinked open and he yawned hugely. Then he explained, "Obviously, Scooter's research is what tipped off whoever was after us. Our network was secure. His? Not so much."

"Lucky thing Scooter realized his mistakes though. Once he figured out who we really were and why we were hiding, he kept an eye on the house. He's the one who saw those guys planting the bomb at the bunkhouse and warned me. If he hadn't, Allie and I would be toast."

"One could argue those guys wouldn't have been there at all without him," Walter pointed out.

Cabe shook his head and sighed. "Yes. I get that. And he does too, believe me. He felt horrible about giving us away. But that's over and done now. What we need to be worried about is where we go from here..."

Their server came back balancing a tray heaped with food. The smell assaulted Paige's stomach with fresh waves of queasiness, but it was the sight of Cabe's meal that finally did her in. The medium rare steak bleeding into glistening, yellow globs of scrambled eggs had her shoving her way out of the booth and dashing for the restroom.

She barely made it in time.

Walter came barging into the ladies' room moments later. "Paige? Are you alright?" He demanded.

Paige stared at her pale green reflection in the spotty mirror. "I've been better." She rinsed her mouth and spit into the sink then washed her face and hands and used paper towels to blot the cooling water off of her face. Her gaze locked with his in the mirror as he walked up behind her.

"Lucky thing we're the only ones in here this time of night," she stated wryly.

He ignored her observation and bit his lip, looking nervous. "While we're here, uh, do you think… Should I maybe go see if they have a, um, pregnancy test at the convenience store next door? I saw they have a pharmacy counter in there."

Turning to face him, she briefly placed both chilly, trembling hands to her cheeks before nodding slowly. "Might not be a bad idea."

His eyes went wide and terrified while his face took on the same pallor hers had moments before.

Attempting to calm him by speaking his language, Paige said mildly, "It's better to know all the facts, right? When we know all the facts, we can make a more effective plan."

It appeared to do the trick.

"Right," he said shortly then immediately spun on his heel and walked out the door presumably to find out if a pregnancy test was available. Oh, boy.

The thought set her nervous stomach flipping again. Paige braced her hands on the sink and took a few deep breaths attempting to stave off the rising nausea. Quickly deciding she didn't want to take a pregnancy test in a dirty truck stop bathroom, she headed back to the table.

Three pairs of worried eyes looked up at her approach.

Ralph was the first to speak. "Mom? Are you sick?"

Paige combed her fingers through the hair above his ear. "I'm fine. I think everything's just caught up with me. That's all. Skooch over and let me sit, will ya?" She perched on the edge of the seat and nudged him over with one hip.

Ralph grinned at her and slid her mug of tea and plate of toast over in front of her. "Do you want grape or strawberry jelly?"

"Red or purple pretty much all tastes alike doesn't it?" Cabe commented around a mouth stuffed full of eggs.

Paige swallowed hard and forced herself to take a small sip of the lukewarm tea. It actually helped a little. "Um, I'll take strawberry, Ralphie. Thanks."

She'd managed to get a few bites of toast down before Walter returned holding a small plastic bag in his fist and looking spooked. Without comment, he slid into the booth next to Paige.

"What 'cha got there?" Cabe asked, pointing his fork at the bag in Walter's hand, "Did you buy a souvenir for Ralph or something? If she asks real nice, I might get Allie one of those Sasquatch Hunter t-shirts I spotted earlier…"

Walter abruptly changed the subject. "We need to ditch the truck. It's too noticeable even if we switch license plates and we're going to get pulled over with some of us riding in the back like that. It's not safe."

Cabe leaned across the table and replied softly, "What do you propose we do, son? Boost a different car? As soon as it's reported, we'd have the same issue."

"We could rent something," Ralph suggested.

"Exactly," Walter grinned at the boy proudly.

"But no car rental place would be open this time of night," Allie said, "And we'd have to show IDs. Wouldn't that tip off the authorities or worse?"

"Look," Walter pointed out the plate glass window at the motel across the highway. "We can move the truck around to the back of the restaurant and stay the night in that motel over there. It has an airport shuttle. I checked. Airports, even small ones, usually have rental cars available. We can use our next set of IDs. I have them in the duffle…"

The waitress strolled up. "Can I get you anything else?"

All five looked at her and said, "No!" simultaneously.

"Sor-ree," she slapped their ticket on the table and muttered to herself as she walked away, "Bunch of weirdos."

Walter continued as if nothing had happened. "Ralph and Paige are both tired and she… isn't feeling well. I believe staying the night here is the best option."

"We're all tired. I could use a couple hours of shut-eye myself. Okay. It's settled," Cabe agreed. He tossed a few bills on the table and set the salt shaker on top of them. Then he picked up the tab and headed to the register, leaving the rest of them to gather their belongings and follow.

Cabe moved the truck around to an unlighted part of the parking lot while the others crossed the street as discreetly as possible. The hulk of an ice machine crouched between the motel's office and the first of the buildings with rooms. Walter darted behind it and motioned for everyone to join him.

When they were all gathered around, he whispered, "It only takes one of us to register. Everyone else need to keep out of camera range as much as possible." He indicated a camera pointed at the entrance to the office. Then he dropped the duffle, stooped and dug around in the side pocket for a few minutes sorting through cards. He stood and handed an ID and debit card to Allie. "I think it would be best if it was you. The rest of us are known to the authorities. Try to get adjoining rooms if possible."

Allie took the cards and nodded her understanding even as she swallowed hard, looking jumpy. "What if they ask for the license plate number of my car?"

"Tell them your husband dropped you and your kids off because you have an early flight tomorrow. Don't forget you'll have to make arrangements for the airport shuttle too."

When she still looked apprehensive, Paige took her hand and gave her an encouraging smile. "You'll do fine. Look exhausted and distracted. That shouldn't be hard, right? And remember, don't offer any extra information. Only answer what's asked. You can do this."

By the time Allie returned with room keys, Cabe had joined them.

"The clerk didn't bat an eyelash. I'm not even sure he looked at me," Allie said, amused. "I managed to get ground floor adjoining rooms at the back of the property."

Cabe gave her a one-armed hug and kissed her temple. "That's why you're my best girl. Lead the way."

Once they were all settled in for the night, Paige lay awake beside an equally wakeful Walter. By tacit agreement, they were both listening intently for signs Ralph was definitely asleep in the bed next to theirs. Paige's hand crept over and found Walter's under the covers. She linked their fingers and waited. She couldn't say whether the gesture was intended to reassure her or him. Either way, their hands clung together until they heard the faint sounds of Ralph's deep, even breathing.

Walter sat up and tossed the covers back. He seized the plastic bag he'd left under the bed on his side and handed it to Paige. She hesitated for a second. Their eyes met and even in the dimness she could tell he was both scared and a little excited. She leaned in to kiss him briefly, took the sack out of his hand and headed for the bathroom.

Show time.


	9. Daddy Issues

**CAN I GET A WITNESS?**

**CHAPTER 9: DADDY ISSUES**

**AN: Finally. The answer to your burning question... Is she? Or isn't she?**

**OXOXOXOXOXO**

It was the longest two minutes of Walter O'Brien's life.

Logically, he realized he was being ridiculous. Minutes are measured in equal increments. And the time it took for Paige to open the packaging, take the test and wait for the answer were no longer or shorter than say… the time Thomas and Conner stuffed him in his gym locker and the coach let him stew for two minutes before letting him out even though the useless jerk had witnessed the whole thing. Or the two minutes he'd attempted meditation with Sly and Toby that one time. Clear his mind? Yeah, right. No amount of discipline could ever clear out all the thoughts in his prodigious brain. He'd found the exercise both tedious and pointless.

However, waiting on the results of Paige's pregnancy test required much more patience than he'd ever needed in his entire life.

Walter paced back and forth across the ugly, faded carpeting outside the bathroom door in an effort to expend pent up energy. It wasn't helping.

Was it wrong to _want_ this?

They were currently on the run not only from criminals, but from the authorities. Circumstances were… less than ideal even by Scorpion standards. There was no way to put a more positive spin on things either. Not to mention, Paige's body was still recovering from being shot. What if the strain of carrying a child harmed her? Or the child?

Was it unforgivable to want this?

He couldn't possibly ignore the fact that while he and Paige were in a good place relationship-wise for the time being, Walter feared it could all go south again at any moment. They were still two very different people. Perhaps they had been working on mending their communication skills, but shouldn't they wait to confirm they were indeed on stable ground before throwing a baby into the mix? Parenting a new infant often put strain on relationships.

Was it right to bring another innocent child into this kind of situation? Was wanting a baby so much under these circumstances an indicator of a bad, selfish father?

Because want it, he did. More than anything. The hope was so terrible he didn't like to acknowledge it. However, as the seconds plodded slowly on, that hope grew more and more enormous until it could no longer be denied or contained.

The bald truth was he'd wanted a child with Paige almost since the first moment he'd met her and her extraordinary son Ralph. He'd never even considered being a parent before that day. Then that tiny kernel of yearning had only grown and intensified as his feelings for them did the same. He'd never spoken of it with her because it never seemed appropriate. Or that's what he'd told himself anyway. He could now admit it was more likely he was afraid she would shoot the idea down and that would be the end of it. Basically, he was too cowardly to risk the outright rejection of the possibility.

During those infinite two minutes, Walter gained a much better appreciation for what Happy and Toby went through too. The agony of hope. Experience is the father of wisdom, after all. He only wondered if he had a prayer of being a decent father like the proverbial 'experience'.

If it was really going to happen, that is. What was the delay? Was the test faulty? Or out of date? Maybe buying a pregnancy test at a gas station wasn't the best plan.

He was clenching his fists so tightly his fingers had gone all numb and tingly. His heart was pounding so hard he'd also gone light-headed. He would _not_ allow himself to pass out. Not before hearing confirmation one way or the other. This was sure to be the most important bit of news he'd ever received in his life.

What was taking so damn long?

His ears perked up when he heard the sound of water running. Then the door burst open and his head snapped up to meet her gaze even as his heart leapt up to his throat. He tried swallowing hard to make the traitorous organ return to its proper place.

Paige's eyes were swimming with tears and for just a moment, the sight of those tears doused Walter in crushing wave of disappointment. Then a coy smile began to curve the corners of her lips upward and it continued to grow until it lit up her whole beautiful face. She gave him a short nod.

He couldn't help it. A quiet laugh burst from his mouth and he gathered the mother of his baby up in a crushing embrace. Over and over, he whispered, "Thank you," against her hair.

His enthusiastic hug forced them both to stagger backwards into the bathroom where they began kissing passionately, deeply. Almost elementally.

Walter kicked the door closed as their hands began to clutch and grab and clothing was yanked off or pulled aside. He picked her up by her still slim waist and plopped her on the counter near the sink. She gasped a little when bare skin met cold porcelain. Then she was gasping for a whole different reason as they came together frantically, in the most primal fashion, in a way they'd never done before. The last tenuous thread of Walter's considerable control had finally snapped.

Paige muffled her rapturous cries in his shoulder even as he buried his tears of joy in her neck.

Afterwards, Walter clung to Paige to keep his shaking, rubbery legs from collapsing beneath him. She gently kissed his face again and again until their breathing calmed and his equilibrium was mostly restored. At least in the physical sense. His brain was still struggling to catch up.

When he could gather himself enough to stand on his own, he touched his brow to hers and caressed her cheek with trembling fingers, tucking one damp strand of hair behind her ear.

Too soon, Paige dodged around him and hopped down from her perch to begin gathering their discarded clothes. She handed him his pajama pants after disentangling them from her nightshirt.

"So I'm guessing this means you're happy about our news?" She giggled a little as she pulled the long, loose shirt on over her head.

"Yes! No. Y-yes?" Walter stuttered. He ran a frustrated hand down his sweaty face. To facilitate open communication, he added, "To be honest, I'm having a difficult time processing it all. I'm, uh, somewhat overwhelmed with-with everything."

He adjusted his boxers, haphazardly pulled on his pants and dropped down to sit on the toilet lid. He looked up at her, his eyes tortured, their depths reflecting the masses of confused feelings which had short-circuited his pathetically pea-sized amygdala.

Paige knelt in front of him and draped one hand across his knee. "So, let me see if I've got this straight. You're ecstatic _and_ you're terrified?"

"Yes! Exactly!" How did she always seem to know?

"Welcome to fatherhood." She cupped his cheek and smiled at him in understanding.

"I love you," he blurted, unable to express his relief and gratitude any other way.

Her eyes filled again and they shared a tender smile. "I love you too."

Then he blurted out his most urgent worries, "I'm worried that having a baby will be too much for your body when you're still healing. And-and I wish I could provide a safer environment. I-I don't know when I can make that happen for you and Ralph and-and…" He glanced at her middle.

"Walter," she said in a steadying tone of voice, "I'm fine." When he still looked doubtful and troubled, she said, "_Really_. And we'll make that safe place happen as soon as we can. We'll figure it out. We have time. We'll get through it all. Together. Okay?"

"Okay." Yes. Together always sounded good.

"Right now, we both… I mean, all four of us need to get some rest, mister."

Walter bolted upright almost knocking heads with Paige in his haste to comply with her suggestion. "Of-of course." Her mothering instincts had always been superlative.

He held his hand out to help her up. She smiled and set her hand in his, accepting the gesture.

As they emerged from the bathroom and she glanced over at Ralph who was still sleeping soundly, still peacefully unaware of the drama that had unfolded and the… aftermath, she prayed silently that this new baby slept as well as her first child always had.

oxoxoxoxoxo

Paige dozed in the backseat of the group's third rental car as many days. It appeared another side effect of her pregnancy was an almost constant state of drowsiness. She kept falling asleep everywhere.

Sandwiched snuggly as she was between her son and Allie on her other side, she was quite content to intermittently snooze lulled by the hypnotic hum of the tires on the asphalt until she heard Walter whisper to Cabe.

"We might have an issue."

Walter's quietly spoken words from the front seat brought her fully awake. She quickly made the decision to pretend her nap continued uninterrupted, however. If Walter could be called protective under normal circumstances, since the threat to Ralph happened, since she'd been shot and now that it was confirmed she was expecting, he was completely off the scale.

Which meant her manipulative behavior of a few days before when she'd been attempting to get Walter to take a rest was backfiring in the worst possible way. Now he was determined he didn't want her to worry about _anything_. At. All. In other words, he'd finally mastered the concept of the white lie and she was being kept firmly in the dark.

And she hated it. Every minute of it. Every time he said the word 'fine', she bristled indignantly. To no avail. He stubbornly wouldn't share his concerns with her.

"What's the issue, son?" Cabe raised one inquiring eyebrow.

"I need to get in contact with Toby as soon as possible. I think we need to use the last disposable cell phone we brought."

Cabe gave Walter a considering frown and shook his head. "I don't think that's such a good idea. We already let them know we were on the move before we left Idaho. If we contact them again and their phones are being monitored, like I have no doubt they are, the trace'll give up our current location. We can't risk it. What's so urgent it can't wait until you can establish a secure network connection?"

Walter glanced out his window and squirmed in his seat, acting somewhat cagey. "For one… We-we're, uh, running low on funds and we need to find a semi-permanent place to stay."

The older man eyed him sidelong. "I counted last night. We've still got close to five thousand. We're okay for a little while yet."

"Well, we need to check to see if the right arrests are being made," Walter argued further. "I did give that Marshal an ultimatum, you know."

"We can be sure things are happening like they're supposed to since you left Happy, Toby and Sly with detailed instructions. I'm sure they can handle it." He peered at Walter beadily over his aviator shades, "What is this really about?"

Walter cleared his throat and cut his eyes toward the backseat. Paige's forced herself to relax and breath evenly, continuing to feign sleep. "Okay. I need to ask Toby some questions about a, uh, health concern," he hissed so lowly she almost didn't catch it.

"You feeling bad or something, kid?"

Shaking his head vehemently, Walter replied, "It isn't me."

"Ralph then?" Cabe kept needling him, trying to make the other man spill his secret.

"No."

"So, it must be about Paige having a bun in the oven…" The older man said full volume.

Walter slammed on the brakes and Paige sat straight up while the other passengers gasped in either alarm or surprise or both.

"How did you know?" She demanded.


	10. Pain in the Boat

**CAN I GET A WITNESS?**

**CHAPTER 10: PAIN IN THE BOAT**

**OXOXOXOXOXO**

"This place is a dump."

Ralph had a habit of saying what everyone else was thinking and his latest statement was no exception. The teen wrinkled his nose against the reeking miasma of mildew, cigarettes, fish and greasy cooking. He dropped the duffle bag with a thunk on the ugly, dirt-colored carpet by one end of the sagging sofa. A little flurry of dust gusted up around him when he threw himself down to sprawl across the threadbare cushions. He waved a hand in front of his face and went into an exaggerated cough fit.

Even Paige was hard-pressed to find anything positive to say about the ancient houseboat with circa1970's decor as she swallowed the bile threatening to rise. She rushed around opening windows hoping to air out the worst of the stench before she was forced to make a mad dash to the nearest toilet and empty her stomach contents. Again.

"Agreed," Walter said with a shrug, "But it's the best we can afford if we're going to replace the electronics we left behind at the ranch and still have food and other necessities." He gave Paige an uneasy look. "Will you and-and the baby be okay here do you think? We could keep looking for something else less…toxic."

She smiled wryly in his direction. "There _is _nothing else in Middle-of-Nowhere, Minnesota. We'll just have to make the best of it."

When Walter still looked concerned, she added, "Listen, Ralph and I have lived in much worse conditions. Don't worry."

"Somehow that fact doesn't make it seem any better," Walter retorted.

"We'll all be fine. A few days of cleaning and airing out will make it…" she glanced around briefly, "slightly more livable."

He frowned at her sternly. "I can't allow you to over tax yourself, Paige. You wouldn't listen to me when you got out of the hospital, but now with this new development…" He pointed vaguely at her stomach region, "I have to insist that you rest properly."

Ralph muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, 'Fantastic. Looks like I'm the slave labor again. On slave wages." He released a long-suffering sigh.

Walter turned toward the younger genius. With a sour expression on his face, he said, "Hey. I'm pitching in too. We have to look after your mother. She's in a, uh…"

"If you say the words 'delicate condition' one more time, I'll hurt you. Badly. If, for no other reason besides my personal gratification, it'll prove to you I'm strong enough to handle a little housework." Walter unwisely opened his mouth to argue further, but Paige held up one hand and interrupted with, "Do you remember that time I slapped you after the train rescue? Consider that a preview."

Ralph flashed him a sympathetic grin when Walter's eyes widened and he shut his mouth immediately.

"Good boy." Paige patted Walter on the head while he glowered at her. "Now, I'm going to find Allie and get started while you boys see if Cabe can haul you into the nearest town to get equipment and supplies. I need you both out from under my feet for a while."

Walter took a breath to make one more attempt to talk some sense into this stubborn woman.

Paige raised her eyebrows and waggled one finger back and forth before he could utter another word of protest. "Ah ah ah. Remember, when Mama's not happy, no one is happy. I won't allow you to roll me up in bubble wrap and sit me in a corner for the next eight months of my life. I'm not one to sit around and be decorative. Got it? Now scoot!" She made a shooing motion aimed at both of her guys. "Go! I'm _fine_."

Ralph didn't have to be told again. He dashed out the door without a backward glance. Walter, however, was more hesitant. He stopped in the doorway and gave Paige an anxious look.

She almost felt sorry for him. Almost. But she knew if she relinquished even the tiniest bit of ground, it would set a precedent and by the time the baby was born she'd be clawing at the walls and screaming like a raving lunatic.

Besides, there'd been a little too much togetherness in the last few days and Walter's fussing was starting to fray Paige's already taut nerves. He watched her every move like a hawk, making observations about what she ate and drank, reminding her to get adequate sleep, spouting pregnancy facts, constantly asking if she felt okay. She'd forgotten how grouchy she could become in the throes of hormone hell too. She only needed a couple of hours of space to restore her usual patience and to remind herself he meant well. And to tell herself this was all coming from a place of genuine love. Hadn't she longed for that kind of consideration when Drew treated her so cavalierly through her whole pregnancy with Ralph?

Just a scant few seconds after the door shut behind him, not even long enough for Paige to emit a full sigh of relief, Walter came shuffling sheepishly back inside. She bit her lip hard to keep from snapping 'What now?' at him.

He stopped directly in front of her and said, "I wanted to say I love you, uh," his eyes dropped to her abdomen, "…both of you and I forgot my kiss." He pecked her on the lips. "We'll be back as soon as we can. Is there anything specific you need?"

How about a massive chill pill? Because now she felt like a huge, grumpy jerk.

She touched her lips to his again, lingering a moment to savor the sweetness. "To apologize."

He frowned in confusion. "What for?"

Instead of answering his question directly, she said, "Nothing. You love me so well, I don't need a thing."

Walter's lop-sided smile looked pleased if not quite convinced. He moved toward the door and gave her a shy little wave as he disappeared out of sight.

Ah, would you look at that. Her aggravatingly over-protective, goofily romantic boyfriend. How was it she missed him already? It had always been like that. One minute he could, and often did, get on her last nerve with his arrogance or his controlling attitude and the next he would come back and be so kind and unsure and so irresistibly cute her heart would melt. Paige Dineen would always be drawn to Walter O'Brien. No matter what. He didn't believe in fate, but his lack of belief had never stopped fate from intervening on his behalf anyway.

About three hours later as she was emptying her fourth bucket of filthy water into the kitchen sink, she was starting to regret making Walter and Ralph leave. She could've definitely used the extra hands. Her back was aching and her nose and eyes were irritated and runny from the dust. She and Allie had barely scratched the surface.

She turned to Allie and said, "I think I could use a break. You?"

Allie had a cobweb stuck to her dark curls. "I'd offer to make tea, but I'm not sure heating anything on the stove is a good idea. Don't get me started on the dishes either. I'm pretty sure they haven't had a good wash since they came home from the store. Some time in the 80s."

"I hope our guys think to bring something for supper. Cooking is out of the question tonight." Leaving the empty bucket in the sink, Paige wiped her forehead with the back of her wrist, leaving a smudge of grime on her face. "C'mon. Sit with me for a few minutes. I'd feel bad if I was lounging around while you're still up working."

Paige collapsed on the couch and propped her feet up on the warped particle board coffee table. Allie dropped her sponge into the sink and came over to join her friend, sitting down with an exhausted groan.

Large mosquitoes circled them like blood-sucking buzzards. Paige waved them away while Allie slapped at one that landed on her arm.

"At this rate," the younger woman observed, "We'll be raisins by the time the guys get back. The bugs are enormous here!"

"I don't know which is worse. If we close the windows, the smell is overpowering. If we keep them open we risk being sucked dry."

The ladies grinned at each other, happy that misery made pleasant company in their case.

After a few moments of silent commiseration, Paige sobered. "Hey. I just realized I've never thanked you."

Allie looked surprised. "What for?"

"For doing this. For helping. For coming with us. You don't know how much I appreciate you being here."

She waved her hand dismissively. "It's nothing."

Paige's expression turned incredulous. "No. It isn't. You left your life behind to come with us. You've been a quiet voice of sanity throughout this whole ordeal. And you make Cabe so happy. I'll never be able to thank you enough for that alone. Will you have a job to go back to when all of this is over?"

"It isn't much of a life without Cabe and his little family of misfits. You've become like our kids in a way. And no worries. It wasn't much of a job either. I always hated working for Patel. He's such a jerk."

"But you put your life in danger…"

"And I'd do it again. No question." Allie reached up and patted Paige's cheek. "You're all worth it."

"What about your sister? Does she know?"

A pained grimace crossed Allie's features and she winced. "I've told her a _version_ of the truth. She thinks I have a bad case of the middle-aged crazies, because I told her I was quitting my job to run off and travel with my boyfriend for a while."

Paige reached over and squeezed her hand. "You can eventually explain everything when we get ourselves out of this mess."

"True. Listen, I hate to ask the same question Walter asks you a thousand times a day, but how are you doing? Please let me know if I can do anything to take some stress off your plate. I'm here to help."

Paige stifled a laugh. "I'm holding up okay. The newest thing… The being pregnant thing hasn't really sunk in yet. When it does, I'm sure I'll have a full on panic attack. But right now, I'm… kinda happy about it. I know that's weird considering the circumstances. I mean, I might wish for better timing…"

"You feel how you feel. There's no right or wrong way. And it isn't weird at all to be excited about having a baby with the man you love. We're all doing everything we can to change these circumstances too. Everything's going to be fine."

The two shared hope-filled smiles.

"You know something? You'd make a great liaison… A translator for geniuses, like I am. Do you think you could handle working at Scorpion? Things do get a little hairy sometimes."

Allie laughed into her hand. "Promise not to tell?"

Paige nodded.

"I kinda like it. It's thrilling. In a terrifying way."

They both giggled like girls.

"I'll talk to Walter. We've discussed recruiting more geniuses before. Plus, if we combine Centipede's new clients with Scorpion's Homeland cases, we're going to need more help."

"That would be great."

"One more thing before I put in a good word for you though."

"What's that?"

"How did you figure out I was pregnant? I wasn't even sure. I suspect you're the one who clued Cabe in, aren't you?"

Allie's grin turned mischievous. "I may not have kids myself, but my sister has four… The symptoms are pretty hard to miss."

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Toby was wearing a look of disgust. "You just couldn't help yourself, could you 197?"

Walter stared at his friend's face on the computer screen. They'd finally managed to rig up a secure network after several days work and Toby's response was to act annoyed?

"Huh?" Walter had absolutely no idea what he was supposed to have done this time.

"First you marry my wife before I can get to her. Now you've gone and knocked up Paige. You always have to prove you're better than the rest of us, don't you?"

"I didn't realize it was a competition."

"With you, everything's a competition." Toby said bitingly.

"Well, why didn't you tell me the antibiotics would negate the effects of her birth control? You're supposed to be the doctor. Harvard trained if memory serves." Walter tapped his temple and sneered.

"Oh, so this is my fault?"

Paige walked up behind Walter and placed a calming hand on his shoulder. She waved at the good doctor then leaned forward and whispered in her boyfriend's ear. "You may want to take a step back instead of forward on this."

Walter held up one finger before muting Toby. The screen froze when the shrink held up a finger of his own. It wasn't his index finger.

Walter frowned in irritation and turned to face Paige. "But why? I didn't do anything wrong. He's angry with me for no reason."

"That's right. He is. But let's look at this from his point of view. Yes, you married Happy out of necessity. To stay in the country. But that makes Toby jealous. Jealous feelings are hardly ever logical are they? You and I both know that first hand, don't we?"

Walter nodded reluctantly.

"Jealousy often springs up because of insecurity. Like the way I was when I found out about you and Florence…"

"There was never a 'me and Florence'," Walter argued hotly.

Paige gave him a quelling look. "I _know_ that. Now. I was insecure and jealous though, right? Then you lied and I over-reacted and we all know what happened after that. Anyway, ancient history. The point is, jealousy is rarely based in logic."

"Okay. What does that have to do with this situation?"

"You other geniuses are always ragging on Toby about having the lowest IQ on the team."

"Not… always."

"It's been mentioned many times, Walter. So he feels the need to prove himself."

"By making me feel stupid? That's… immature."

"Yes it is. I'm just trying to make you understand why he treats you the way he does sometimes."

"But it's ridiculous. He has a skill set no one else on the team can emulate."

"Have you ever told him that?" Paige asked gently.

"He should know…"

"People don't know unless you tell them, Walter."

"Oh." Walter's expression went thoughtful for a moment. "But why is he mad at me for getting you pregnant? It's stupid. It's not like I got Happy pregnant." He screwed up his face like he found the whole idea repugnant.

Paige chuckled and patted his cheek playfully. "No. But neither did he. And they tried. For months. And it's his" she made quotation marks with her fingers, "'fault'. Can you imagine why he might be feeling insecure? And lashing out? Maybe because he's really mad and disappointed in himself. Just think about it. Hone those empathy skills a little."

She kissed his forehead and went to sit down again.

Walter blinked for a few seconds, trying to absorb all the information. Then he turned back to his computer and hit resume. "Hey, Toby? Look, I'm sorry if this situation is making you feel… bad. It wasn't my intention. My goal is to be a better friend and listen to your advice more and maybe not drive you crazy so much. But, hey, I'm worried about some stuff and I could really use your expertise right now, Buddy. Do you mind if I ask you some questions?"

Paige smiled at Walter from across the room. "Proud of you," she mouthed.


	11. Cabin Fever

**CAN I GET A WITNESS?**

**CHAPTER 11: CABIN FEVER**

**OXOXOXOXOXO**

**AN: Oops! Forgot to put in my usual AN. Here it is. You're welcome.**

"So, we can go home yet? Walter said there are more arrests being made every day."

Cabe hated to burst the kid's bubble, but he wouldn't lie either. "Not quite yet, son. Soon, I hope."

The Homeland Agent dug another night crawler out of the cup of dirt and threaded it onto his hook. Ralph made a disgusted face and Cabe chuckled. "It's not up to me what the fish are in the mood to eat and you aren't having much luck getting them to bite what's on your menu."

He cast the line in a perfectly executed arc and the baited hook made a satisfying 'bloop' noise as it landed right where he wanted it.

Ralph frowned down at the bobber below his bare feet which were dangling from the dock where the two of them sat. The stupid bobber refused to move. Not one tiny dip. "But garlic cheese and marshmallows were listed as acceptable forms of bait on all the fishing websites I read and I didn't have to impale an insect, minnow or…" he wrinkled his nose at the worm-filled cup between them, "annelid on my hook."

Cabe grinned and bumped his shoulder against the boy's. "If you're grossed out by a few worm guts, what're you going to do when we have to clean these fish I'm catching?" He tilted his head indicating the Styrofoam ice chest full of bass.

"Probably never eat again for the rest of my life." Ralph sighed. "I sure wish we could go home."

"Me too, son. Me too."

The sky was so blue it hurt his eyes to look at it, so Ralph stared at its reflected color in the lake instead, the brilliant sunshine winking back at him from the occasional ripple. His eyes tracked a bird's shadow gliding across the smooth surface of the water. Insects whirred and chirped all around them. The combination of their droning, the bird calls and the sun blazing down on his neck and the top of the baseball cap his mother insisted he wear left him feeling drowsy.

There were few advantages to this isolated existence. Fishing with Cabe was one of them. At least no one could accuse Ralph of being an 'indoor cat' here where he'd spent hours perched on the end of a dock listening to his honorary grandfather talk about his exploits as a young man in the military or his tales of the weirdest things he'd ever seen working for law enforcement, including Walter's arrest when he was eleven. Ralph liked that story best of all.

It was certainly different from frenetic life in LA. Or even that time the whole team was stuck on an island right after his parents had _finally_ gotten together. During that 'adventure', when they weren't bickering, they were all constantly scrambling for food and water and trying to figure out genius ways to get back to civilization before they starved.

Here and now, they had time to be lazy and let things unfold. Most of the time it was terribly boring.

Of course, Ralph still worried about his parents' relationship falling apart, because the forced isolation and inactivity was driving Walter completely nuts.

oOoOoOoOoOo

An old ceramic ashtray hit the wall and smashed scattering shards all over the kitchen counter and floor.

"This internet connection sucks!"

Paige peered cautiously around the bedroom door. "Walter? Is everything okay out here?"

He wore the scowl of a truculent three year old. "No." His expression cleared when he looked up at her. Standing abruptly, he held a cautioning hand up in her direction. "Don't come in here. I need to clean up my mess first. I don't want you to step on something and cut yourself."

He grabbed the broom and dustpan from the pantry and began to sweep as Paige leaned a shoulder on the door frame and watched, her lips curving into a playful smile. "What did that poor ashtray ever do to you?"

"Nothing. Wrong place. Wrong time." He answered, shaking his head. He dampened a paper towel and began brushing the pieces from the counter into the dustpan. "I thought you were napping."

"I was. Then there was this loud crash."

"Sorry." He winced then tipped the whole mess into the garbage. "You might want to go back and get your shoes. I may not have gotten it all."

As Paige ducked back into the bedroom to get her flip flops, Walter slumped back into his chair at the kitchen table and glared at the laptop. "I haven't heard anything from the team all day," He called out so she could hear from the other room. "I need frequent updates! How can I know if they've tried to contact us if I can't keep the internet connection up and running? It's like living in the Dark Ages here."

Paige crept up to him and slid her arms around his neck from behind. She pressed her cheek to his hair then kissed his temple. "Maybe it's okay to not be plugged in all the time. I don't think much has changed since you contacted Sylvester last night."

He perked up a little. "Maybe we should go into town and see if the stupid, inadequate Wal-Mart has something I can repurpose for a signal booster…"

"No, Walter. Low profile, remember? Just until the situation resolves. It shouldn't be long now. Plus, we're also running a little low on funds at present. We're down to stale bread, peanut butter, rice and beans. Oh, and fish if Cabe and Ralph have a good day."

"I hate Minnesota," the frustrated genius grumbled. He shoved the laptop away grumpily.

"Let's go for a walk," Paige suggested. "Soak up some of that good Vitamin D."

Walter heaved a big sigh but got up and headed for the door anyway. "Did you know we don't technically get Vitamin D from the sun? That's a common misconception. In actuality, when your skin is exposed to sunlight, your body makes Vitamin D from cholesterol." Together they stepped out into the hot summer day. He offered her an unsure look. "Oops. Sorry. Science facts again…"

Taking his hand and lacing their fingers together, she replied with a grin. "That's okay. I like it because I like _you_ and I love how your mind works." Paige tugged him close and kissed his lop-sided smile. "I'll tell you if it ever gets to be too much. I promise." She crossed her heart with her free hand. Nowadays she pictured Walter patiently sharing his love of science with their toddler and she couldn't get enough of that idea.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Allie was drowsing on the couch. There wasn't much else to do. The beans were soaking. The little houseboat was as clean as it was going to get. She'd washed the sheets. They were hanging outside to dry. There was nothing like drying in the fresh air to make your bedding smell great. But it wasn't quite there yet. She'd read everything in the house which included a well-thumbed New Testament, a Farmer's Almanac from 1992 and a beat up copy of The Complete Minnesota Angler's Guide.

Cabe was still out fishing with Ralph. The mental image made her heart lift. What a great capacity for love her boyfriend had. It was incredible.

Paige and Walter had gone for a walk. Probably in an effort to keep Walter from drowning himself in the lake. Out of all of them, he was the one having the hardest time with the close quarters and lack of modern conveniences.

An urgent beeping noise emanated from the half-open lap top on the kitchen table. It was enough to startle her fully awake. At first she ignored it thinking it might simply be a low battery or an email notification. When it beeped again, she considered for a minute and figured she might as well check it out.

She opened the screen fully and the first thing she saw was Happy and Sylvester's beaming faces. Streaks soon appeared across their noses then moments later the image warped further and froze.

Seconds later, they were both waving frantically.

"Can you see us? Allie?" Sylvester asked, continuing to wave.

"Yes. I see you. I'm here," Allie answered at the same time the connection was lost entirely. Suddenly she had more sympathy for Walter and his rants over the tech issues.

Whatever they had to report was obviously important. They did seem excited rather than upset, didn't they? Allie jiggled the cables in the router like she'd seen Walter do on numerous occasions. She even unplugged the microwave just in case.

Oh how she wished they'd try back.

"ALLIE!"

She heard her name and rushed over to the computer again.

"It's over!" Sylvester cried and went dark again.

It's over? What did that mean exactly? Their lives? Was he warning them? Or the ordeal? Could they go home? Allie was afraid to hope but her foolish heart thumped regardless as she picked the computer up and walked around the room trying to reestablish the connection.

Suddenly the mathematician was back. "They got…!" The sound glitched. "Allie? Did you hear me?"

"Got who? Hang on! I'm going to get Ralph!" Allie yelled at the screen even though she knew the reason they couldn't hear each other had nothing to do with volume.

She sprinted out the door and down the dock. "Ralph! Come help! The gang has news but I can't make the computer cooperate."

Immediately the teen dropped his fishing pole and dashed toward the houseboat. He grabbed the laptop and began fiddling with settings. Finally he connected it to the router with an Ethernet cable and the sound and picture stabilized.

"Ralph!" An over excited Sly gushed. "You can come home now!"

Cabe burst through the door in time to hear Sylvester's announcement. He looked at Allie and asked, "What's he talking about?"

The mathematician burst into delighted laughter. "We got him! The head of the organization. Using Walter's facial recognition software. We caught him trying to leave LAX in a private jet. The authorities just picked him up not ten minutes ago. With him in custody, you guys are safe. You can come back."

Ralph blinked at his friend's face, automatically scanning for deception markers like Toby taught him. He swallowed hard as a film of tears blurred Sly's face. "Do you mean it? Really?"

"Really," Happy confirmed with a nod.

Eyes still dazzled by the brightness of the outdoors, Paige and Walter stepped inside the house. Ralph handed the computer off to Allie and made a beeline for his mom and dad. He caught them around their waists with one arm around each of them and he buried his face in the narrow space between their shoulders.

"It's over," the boy whispered. Then repeated it with more conviction as if to convince himself. "It's all over."

After embracing enthusiastically, Cabe and Allie left to grab the fishing gear from the dock, hands locked together and swinging back and forth between them. Now and then they would exchange identical happy smiles. It was all going to be fine. Better than fine.

For a few minutes, Walter collected all the details he could get from his ecstatic team back in LA. They'd finally taken down the entire operation. The whole thing began to unravel with the arrest of the hired thugs back in Idaho coupled with the information and evidence the team had already collected and turned over. Scooter had been essential in the capture and in confirming the identities of the would-be assassins. Those two readily gave up the ring-leaders for the chance to stay safely in an Idaho prison away from their ruthless employers.

Because of Scorpion's extensive work on the case and the cyber noose technology they'd perfected years ago on another case, they now had a brand new contract with the State of California Corrections Department monitoring and limiting communications within the prison system to ensure people on the inside had no contact or control of organizations on the outside. Not only would they be able to keep tabs on those involved with ordering the hit on Ralph, they could ensure the safety of other whistle-blowers as well. Not to mention, it would keep them in work for years to come.

But Paige would only allow Walter to focus on the technicalities for so long before she snatched him up and kissed him all over his face.

"We're going home! Walter, we did it!" she gushed.

Her enthusiasm was infectious. He wrapped both arms around her and twirled her in a circle.

Setting her down on her feet gently, he planted a smacking kiss square on her mouth and said, "Yes. It appears we should start packing our bags."

He grinned at Ralph, over her head, "If we're ready in fifteen minutes, we'll have a big party on the roof when we get home."

The boy was way ahead of him and sped to grab the duffle from under the bed.

"I want hamburgers with lots of pickles and cheese and a star party with both of our telescopes set up side by side _and_ I want to check all the data we've collected from Cassie…" Ralph kept going on and on so Walter took advantage of the distraction to kiss Paige properly.


	12. Name Dropping

**CAN I GET A WITNESS?**

**CHAPTER 12: NAME DROPPING**

**AN: Here's the short (and hopefully sweet) ending. **

**I hope every one of you is safe and healthy. It's a weird, weird world we live in right now.**

**OXOXOXOXOXO**

Their latest rust bucket rent-a-wreck rattled and wheezed into the rest area parking lot somewhere northeast of the dusty little desert town of Barstow, California. The much neglected car sputtered and coughed a second or two after Cabe turned it off, no doubt begging for a touch of routine maintenance. Or a complete overhaul. It was doomed to disappointment.

The air conditioning had stopped working somewhere around Provo, so the wind-whipped crew piled out in search of a less-than-hideously-disgusting restroom and maybe, if they were lucky, a soda machine to re-caffeinate themselves long enough to survive the last 120 miles or so to LA.

A few hours ago, when they'd crossed the border into their home state, the little troop of fugitives had cheered. Unfortunately, California was a large state even when driving east to west and, at that point, the weary travelers were facing hours on the road before they made it home. However, none of them were willing to stop. No one even suggested it. Their longing for the garage and their friends and the familiar was much stronger than their need for sleep, especially if it meant spending another night in a run down motel with lumpy beds and scratchy towels.

While he was waiting for the others, Cabe paced around a picnic table, stopping every once in a while to press his palms to the small of his back and stretch out the stiffness. Spending fourteen hours a day in a car wasn't as easy as it used to be.

The only one of their group still full of energy loped up to him. Ralph paused for a moment to guzzle some soda from the red can in his hand and slurp up the excess around the rim before he spoke. "What's taking so long? Do you need me to go round everyone up?"

Cabe offered him half a grin. "Keep your shirt on. You know things like this take a bit longer when there are ladies involved."

Ralph frowned. "Then why are there always an equal number of men's and ladies' restrooms at any public place? There should be at least twice as many for females. Or they could make all toilets private and therefore unisex and have a shared bank of sinks."

"There you go applying logic to one of life's greatest mysteries, son." Cabe chuckled. He shook his head and nudged the young genius with an elbow.

The impatient boy spotted his parents at another picnic table across the lot from theirs.

"Hey, there's Mom and Dad. I'll go see if they're ready to go. I wanna get home."

The couple was too far away to be heard but appeared to be deep in conversation. Cabe had his suspicions about the content of that conversation.

The older man stopped Ralph with a hand on his arm. "Hang back a second, kid. Let's give them a minute, okay?"

The young genius flashed him a puzzled look, but complied without argument. He was suddenly eyeing his parents with a different kind of interest. Maybe having a long time wish come true was more important than getting home fifteen minutes sooner.

Despite her wind mangled hair, Paige emerged from the bathroom a new woman. This baby was sitting squarely on her bladder and for the last twenty miles she thought she might be the one to need a diaper change.

She was more than ready to be home, to shower, to sleep in her own bed, to hug her friends. So she was heading straight for the car the second she was finished in the restroom. She was a little surprised when she spied Walter sitting at a picnic table clearly waiting for her to come out. As soon as he saw her, his eyes widened and he beckoned her over.

Aw, hell. He looked jumpy. What was wrong now? Had something bad happened?

Her head was spinning with worst case scenarios as she went over to join him. The apprehension was making her feel nauseated. She pressed a hand to her stomach to calm the nervous roiling.

His eyes flitted to her middle where her hand rested and he asked, "Is everything alright?"

"You tell me. Did you hear some bad news? Are we still okay to go home?" The problem was, in the back of her mind, she still had doubts the whole ordeal was really over.

He shook his head, his expression bemused. "What gave you the impression I'd gotten bad news?"

"So, we _are_ still okay to go home?"

"Of course."

Paige heaved a relieved sigh. "I guess I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. This whole thing has kinda been a roller coaster, hasn't it?"

Walter nodded but appeared distracted. He looked away from her momentarily, his gaze seeming to focus on the distant hills burnished golden by the setting sun.

But Paige knew him well enough by now to know he wouldn't be distracted by the beauty of a desert sunset.

"So what's up then?" She prompted.

"Oh, um…" His Adam's apple bobbed when he swallowed. His gaze met hers briefly then fell to the toes of his signature black shoes. "It-it, well, I've noticed you're still a little worried about you and Ralph returning to your old life in LA. Even though Toby and Happy and Sly, well all of us, have reassured you multiple times… I mean, I've told you a several times myself… the, uh, dangerous people who were trying to harm you and Ralph have been caught. They are being held without bail and all of their communications with the outside are being monitored by Scorpion. And-and there really isn't anyone much to communicate with on the outside anymore anyway because most of their criminal enterprise is in jail with them. Not to mention, we dug up so much evidence, Ralph is no longer needed to testify in person…"

Figuring Walter was worried about her stress level and its effects on her pregnancy, she said slowly and distinctly, slipping into her liaison role to help him understand, "Yes, I know. We've been over all of this. I get it in here," she tapped her temple, "but it might take my feelings a little longer to catch up. Does that make sense?"

Walter waved his hand in an impatient motion. "Yes. I know all of that."

"Then what is it you're trying to tell me?"

His eyes found hers again. "I had an idea. It might make it a little harder to-to be found..." His words trailed off, then he added softly, "It's probably dumb."

Paige raised her eyebrows and signaled for him to continue. She had no clue what he was going on about. That wasn't a new development in their relationship.

"Um, I was wondering if it would make you feel more secure to change your name?" He blurted quickly then compressed his lips together as if the question had escaped without his permission. He looked at her expectantly.

"Walter. It's too expensive to legally change my name. And I'm not going to deal with using fake IDs the rest of my life. What are you getting at?"

Red stole up his cheeks. "If you get married, it's not. Ex-expensive, I mean."

The light finally dawned and Paige stared at him in wonder. After a few tense moments she breathed, "Walter? Are you asking me to marry you?"

He nodded, a fearful look in his eyes.

Her tremulous smile turned teasing. "Is changing my name the _only_ reason you can think of why I should officially marry you?"

Walter shook his head, anxiety temporarily rendering him mute.

"_Well_?" Paige demanded. She knew she should cut the poor man some slack, but she couldn't resist. This was her first official marriage proposal and she wanted the words.

"We're having a baby?" He mumbled giving her a pained grimace.

"_And_? Is that all?"

"Come on," his eyes were pleading, "By now you have to know I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you! You're the one that convinced me love was real!" He cringed, as if waiting to be told he was being ridiculous.

Paige was done torturing the love of her life. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly smack on the mouth. "Yes! You silly man! Yes, of course, I'll marry you."

Relaxing her strangle hold slightly, she pushed back to look at his gorgeous face. Paige cradled that face in her hands. "Now, was that so hard?"

"Yes," he answered petulantly. Walter gave her an exaggerated pout but couldn't maintain it for long, because his elated smile wouldn't allow it.

Their first kiss after that was sweet, but the subsequent ones kept getting more and more passionate until they needed to call a halt or move somewhere more private.

By tacit agreement, they stood and clasped hands, linking their fingers together. Joined hands swinging happily between them, they ambled slowly toward the car. Sharing sappy smiles every few steps.

Paige started laughing.

"What's funny?"

"I don't know. I'm really happy. But it's not just that. It's… well, it occurs to me we've been pretending to be married for so long I'd almost forgotten it wasn't real. It already _feels_ like we're married."

"Yes. I concur. It feels very right. Natural."

Paige hugged his arm close, pressing her cheek to Walter's shoulder. "Let's go home and make it legal."


End file.
